Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid determination of L‐ascorbic acid content in vitamin C serums by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

This study aimed to develop and validate a rapid, simple, accurate and precise analytical method for the quantification of L‐AA in vitamin C serums. Moreover, the developed method was further applied to determine L‐AA in eight different brands of vitamin C serums. A complementary study was also carried out to evaluate the stability of L‐AA in the vitamin C serum samples after 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of storage at ambient temperature (15–35°C).
TURNOVER INTENTION AND CORONAPHOBIA AMONG FRONTLINE NURSES DURING THE SECOND SURGE OF COVID-19: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND COPING SKILLS.

BACKGROUND Turnover among frontline healthcare workers, particularly nurses, reached an alarming rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. This turnover has been attributed, in part, to excessive fear of the virus (a condition called coronaphobia). Studies have not yet been conducted examining whether social support and coping skills could act as buffers between coronaphobia and the intention to leave. AIM To examine the relationship between coronaphobia and frontline nurses' organizational and professional turnover intention and to assess whether social support and coping skills can buffer this relationship. METHODS A correlational research design was used to collect responses through an online questionnaire from a convenience sample of 687 frontline nurses from the Central Philippines. Data was analysed using descriptive (mean, standard deviation, percentages) and inferential statistics (t - test, Pearson r correlation coefficient, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression). RESULTS More than half of the frontline nurses experienced coronaphobia, while 25.8% reported a desire to leave their job and 20.7% reported a desire to leave their profession. Coronaphobia had direct significant effects on nurses' organizational (β=.424, p<.001) and professional turnover intention (β=.316, p<.001). Social support and coping skills partially mediated the relationship between organizational (β=.365, p<.001; β=.362, p<.001) and professional turnover intention (β=.279, p<.001; β=.289, p<.001). CONCLUSION Frontline nurses who experienced coronaphobia were more likely to quit their job and the nursing profession. Increasing nurses' social support and enhancing their coping skills reduced the negative effects of coronaphobia, resulting in improved nurse retention. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Institutional approaches to reduce coronaphobia and turnover intention during the pandemic can be facilitated by improving social support through innovative approaches (e.g., use of technology, social media) and equipping nurses with positive coping skills through coping skills training and other empirically based coping skill-building interventions.
Pre-induction cervical ripening with different initial doses of intravaginal misoprostol: time to delivery and peri-natal outcomes

Abstract From 2016 to 2018, a total of 300 pregnant women underwent induction of labour. Those women were allocated in two groups according to the initial dose of misoprostol. Group I (150 women) received intravaginally 50 µg misoprostol followed by 25 µg every four hours, up to a maximum of four doses whereas in group II (150 women) the initial dose was 25 μg intravaginal followed by the same dose every four hours up to a maximum of four doses. Women with previous uterine scar, abnormal foetal heart rate, severe foetal malformation, foetal growth restriction or multiple pregnancy were excluded. The aim of study was to compare the effectiveness (hours until delivery) and perinatal outcomes of both schemes of cervical ripening. Initial doses of 50 μg of misoprostol reduced the time until delivery (17.65 ± 8.2 hours vs. 20.85 ± 9.3 hours; p=.007) and the need of oxytocin (34.6% vs. 46.67%; p=.046), compared to the use of 25 μg misoprostol in all doses. No differences were observed regarding perinatal outcomes. In conclusion, starting with 50 µg of misoprostol in the first dose reduced time to vaginal delivery and decreased the use of oxytocin without worse perinatal outcomes. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? The rate of labour induction is increasing. Mechanical and medical methods try to establish the active phase of labour as quickly and safely as possible. For this reason, there are numerous studies assessing different protocols, dosages and indications. What do the results of this study add? Despite the numerous studies, due to ethical restrictions, it is difficult to carry out prospective studies. For this reason, studies like this help to establish the most appropriate dose of misoprostol in two of the most common indications for induction of labour. We demonstrated that increasing initial doses up to 50 mg of misoprostol are safer and more effective. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This study could be useful for future prospective and randomised studies as well for including these data in a meta-analysis. In addition, these results may update the clinical protocols and reduce hospital stay without worse perinatal outcomes.
Immunogenicity of BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients with psoriatic arthritis on TNF inhibitors

Background Scanty data on the immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 vaccine in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) on Tumor Necrosis Factor inhibitors (TNFi) have been published. Objective To investigate the humoral response to BNT162b2 vaccination patients with PsA on TNFi, comparing immunogenicity with healthy controls. Methods Forty patients with classified PsA on TNFi undergoing vaccination with the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BioNTech/Pfizer) were enrolled. Fifteen days after the second shot, serum IgG levels against SARS-CoV-2 (Abbott ARCHITECT i2000SR, positivity cut-off 50 AU/mL) were assayed in all patients. Clinimetrics and treatment data were gathered. TNFi treatment was not discontinued throughout the whole period, whereas methotrexate (MTX) was discontinued for 1 week after each shot in those on combination therapy. Sera from healthcare professionals were considered as healthy controls for 1:1 propensity score matching; any of them was taking medication. Student’s t-test and logistic regression were used for investigating differences in immunogenicity between groups and predictors of antibody response. Results Clinical Disease Activity Index did not change before and after vaccination (7.06±5.23 to 7.10±5.27, p=0.92). Patients with PsA achieved a positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG level with a mean (±SD) of 13794.44±15 815.42 AU/mL. Although lower, the antibody level was not significantly different from matched controls (19227.4±11.8460.45 AU/mL, p=0.08). In the overall sample, those on MTX (12/80, 15%) had a trend toward lower immune response (p=0.07); glucocorticoid therapy (11/80, 13.8%) predicted lower antibody levels (p=0.04). Conclusions Continuing TNFi in patients with PsA throughout the vaccination did not hamper immunogenicity.
Sources of Information and Communication About HPV Among Chinese Students Attending U.S. Colleges: Implications for Culturally Appropriate Strategies

Introduction: Little is known about human papillomavirus (HPV) information sources and communication among Chinese students attending U.S. colleges. We assessed information sources and communication about HPV and HPV vaccines among this population. Methodology: A cross-sectional design with 449 participants was conducted by using a questionnaire and snowball sampling. Summary statistics and multiple logistic regression were used. Results: The most common sources of HPV information included the internet and friends. Communication about HPV occurred most frequently among friends, family, and health professionals. Those who had better HPV knowledge and attitudes and were vaccinated against HPV were more likely to use internet, friends, family, and health professionals as their information sources. Discussion: Because the internet, friends, and families are likely sources for HPV information and communication, future internet-based culturally appropriate education should offer information not only to Chinese students but also to their social circles. Cultural beliefs may affect HPV prevention and should be examined.
Circular Dichroism Spectral Similarity Plots to Extend Validation and Correction to All Measured Wavelengths

Interlaboratory comparisons of circular dichroism (CD) spectra are useful for developing confidence in the measurements associated with optically active molecules. These measurements also help define the higher-order (secondary and tertiary) structure of biopolymers. Unfortunately, the extent of the validity of these measurements has been unclear. In this work, a method is described to extend CD validation over the entire observed wavelength range using what will be called spectral similarity plots. The method involves plotting, wavelength by wavelength, all measured spectral intensities of a sample at one concentration against the intensity values of the same material at a different concentration or pathlength. These spectral similarity plots validate the instrument in terms of spectral shape and whether the shape is shifted in intensity and/or in wavelength. This comparison tests the linearity of instrument’s signal, the balance of its left and right polarizations, its wavelengths, and its spectral intensity scales. When the process is applied to materials with accepted and archived intensity values, the method can be linked to older single-wavelength and double-wavelength calibration techniques. Further, spectral similarity testing of CD spectra from samples with different concentrations run in different labs suggests that improved interlaboratory validation of CD data is possible. Since a database of archival CD measurements is available online, spectral similarity comparisons could possibly provide the ability to compare linearity, polarization balance, wavelength, and spectral intensity between all current CD instruments. If the preliminary results published here prove robust and transferable, then comparisons of full-wavelength range spectra to archived data using spectral similarity plots should become part of the standard process to validate and calibrate the performance of CD instruments. Graphical Abstract
Targeting Systemic Innate Immune Cells as a Therapeutic Avenue for Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the first progressive neurodegenerative disease worldwide, and the disease is characterized by an accumulation of amyloid in the brain and neurovasculature that triggers cognitive decline and neuroinflammation. The innate immune system has a preponderant role in AD. The last decade, scientists focused their efforts on therapies aiming to modulate innate immunity. The latter is of great interest, since they participate to the inflammation and phagocytose the amyloid in the brain and blood vessels. We and others have developed pharmacological approaches to stimulate these cells using various ligands. These include toll-like receptor 4, macrophage colony stimulating factor, and more recently nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain–containing 2 receptors. This review will discuss the great potential to take advantage of the innate immune system to fight naturally against amyloid β accumulation and prevent its detrimental consequence on brain functions and its vascular system. Significance Statement The focus on amyloid β removal from the perivascular space rather than targeting CNS plaque formation and clearance represents a new direction with a great potential. Small molecules able to act at the level of peripheral immunity would constitute a novel approach for tackling aberrant central nervous system biology, one of which we believe would have the potential of generating a lot of interest.
A Norm-Creative Method for Co-constructing Personas With Children With Disabilities: Multiphase Design Study

Background An increase in the demand for child participation in health care requires tools that enable and empower children to be involved in the co-production of their own care. The development of such tools should involve children, but participatory design and research with children have challenges, in particular, when involving children with disabilities where a low level of participation is the norm. Norm-creative and participatory approaches may bring more effective design solutions for this group. “Personas” is a methodology for increasing user perspectives in design and offers representation when users are absent. However, research on participatory persona generation in this context is limited. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate how norm-creative and participatory design approaches can be integrated in a persona generation method to suit children with disabilities in the design of games for health that target this group. Methods The method development involved interview transcripts and image-based workshops. Sixteen children with various disabilities participated in persona generation through co-creation of characters and scenarios. The results from the workshops were validated together with 8 children without disabilities, 1 young adult with a disability, and 1 rehabilitation professional. A qualitative thematic design analysis was iterated throughout the process. Results The results consisted of an image-based and iterative co-construction method. It was accompanied by examples of personas that were generated and validated within a games for health case. The method showed effectiveness in enabling flexible co-construction and communication. The data resonated with social model perspectives, and the development is discussed in terms of participation levels, salutogenic descriptions of barriers, and norm-creative tradeoffs. Conclusions The resulting method may influence future design projects toward more inclusiveness and enable increased representation for children with disabilities in research and design. Using this method to its full potential requires a norm-critical awareness as well as extensive facilitation. Suggestions for further research include the application of the method to design processes in similar contexts or user groups.
Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions as an outlet for patient dismay? The case of Levothyrox® change of excipients

Following minor changes of excipients of Levothyrox®, the French Pharmacovigilance Database was overwhelmed by patients' spontaneous reports of adverse drug reactions associated with the new formula. After noticing that most of these reports differed from those related to other drugs, we aimed to characterize their features and compared them with spontaneous reports associated with other chronic treatments as comparators. We randomly sampled patient reports associated with either Levothyrox® new formula (n = 200) or comparator drugs (n = 200) from March 2017 till March 2018 from the National Pharmacovigilance Database. We evaluated the number of incriminated drugs and adverse drug reactions per report and verified whether they were “expected” or not according to the Summary of Product Characteristics. Levothyrox®‐associated reports included, on average, more adverse drug reactions (8 ± 4) than comparators (2 ± 2, P < 0.01) and mentioned mostly one drug (98.5% of reports), whereas comparators mentioned two at least (P < 0.001). The quantitative distribution of adverse drug reactions per report differed quite significantly, appearing almost Gaussian for Levothyrox® whereas Poisson‐like for comparators (P < 0.0001). Age did not differ significantly in the two groups (54.2 vs. 49.7, NS), but female predominated in Levothyrox® group (94.5%) as compared with comparators (60.8%, P < 0.001). A mere third of the Levothyrox®‐associated adverse drug reactions were deemed “expected,” versus two thirds for comparators (P < 0.001). The pattern of spontaneous reports associated with Levothyrox®, whether fueled by media or influenced by social networks, appears atypical, as compared with that of comparators. Such reports, by their abundance, may impair the automatic detection of relevant concomitant signals.
Early maladaptive schemas and COVID‐19 anxiety: The mediational role of mistrustfulness and vulnerability to harm and illness

Abstract Background Early maladaptive schemas (EMS), as lifelong psychological structures, tend to be associated with psychopathological symptomatology. Previous research has suggested that schemas act as psychological vulnerabilities to stressful life situations, such as the present worldwide COVID‐19 pandemic. In this context, anxiety and psychological distress have been documented as two of the main psychological symptoms associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, the associations between specific EMS and COVID‐19 anxiety remain unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationships between EMS, COVID‐19 anxiety as well as other mental health variables such as psychological well‐being, distress and life satisfaction. Methods In a cross‐sectional design, 249 individuals (M = 34.2, SD = 12.0) completed several self‐report measures. Results EMS from different schematic domains were positively associated with COVID‐19 anxiety and psychological distress and negatively associated with psychological well‐being and life satisfaction. An EMS hierarchical regression model predicted COVID‐19 anxiety. Mistrustfulness and vulnerability to harm and illness mediated the relationships between COVID‐19 anxiety, psychological distress and life satisfaction. Conclusions According to these results, mistrustfulness and vulnerability to harm and illness can act as underlying variables for the decrease in mental health associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Nasopharyngeal virome analysis of COVID‐19 patients during three different waves in Campania region of Italy

From December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection has spread rapidly, leading to a global pandemic. Little is known about possible relationships between SARS‐CoV‐2 and other viruses in the respiratory system affecting patient prognosis and outcomes. This study aims to characterize respiratory virome profiles in association with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and disease severity, through the analysis in 89 nasopharyngeal swabs collected in a patient's cohort from the Campania region (Southern Italy). Results show coinfections with viral species belonging to Coronaviridae, Retroviridae, Herpesviridae, Poxviridae, Pneumoviridae, Pandoraviridae, and Anelloviridae families and only 2% of the cases (2/89) identified respiratory viruses.
Reversible down-regulation and up-regulation of catalytic activity of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-anchored gold nanoparticles

Regulating catalytic activity plays an important role in further optimizing and developing multifunctional catalysts with high selectivity and high activity. Reversible dual regulation of catalytic activity has always been a challenging task. Here, we prepared poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-anchored gold nanoparticles (AuNP@CDs-Azo-PNIPAM) through host-guest interaction of cyclodextrin capped gold nanoparticles (AuNP@CDs) and azobenzene-terminated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (Azo-PNIPAM). Azo-PNIPAM as thermal and light responsive ligand allows reversible dual regulation of catalytic activity. When the temperature is higher than the lowest critical solution temperature, the PNIPAM chain shrinks rapidly, increasing the steric hindrance around AuNPs and reducing the catalytic activity. Under ultraviolet light irradiation, cis-azobenzene disassembles from cyclodextrin and the number of surface active sites of AuNPs increases, which improves the catalytic activity. The reaction rate of UV irradiation is almost 1.3 times that of visible light irradiation. This work provides a simple and effective strategy for the construction of reversible catalysts.
Epidemiology of sepsis and risk factors for mortality in intensive care unit: a hospital based prospective study in South India

Abstract Objective The present study was aimed at elucidating the epidemiology of sepsis, with a special emphasis on identifying the common bacterial aetiology, proportion of infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria, and risk factors associated with 28-day mortality at a university hospital in South India. Methods A prospective study was undertaken from January 2017 to March 2018. Adult patients with the diagnosis of sepsis requiring intensive care unit (ICU) care were recruited. Baseline clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory data were recorded, and their association with 28-day mortality was assessed using logistic regression models. Results 400 subjects with a qSOFA score ≥2 at the time of ICU admission were included in the study. The mean age was 55.7 ± 16.6 years, and 69% were males. The mean SOFA score at the time of admission was 9.9 ± 2.7. Bacterial aetiology of sepsis was established in 53.5% of cases and 24% were caused by MDR pathogens. Carbapenem resistance was observed in 37% of the Gram-negative isolates. Escherichia coli (34.1%) was the leading pathogen. Overall, the 28-day mortality in ICU was 40%. 38% died within 48 h of ICU admission. Hypertension and SOFA > 9, male gender, and baseline-creatinine values >2.4 mg/dl were risk factors for mortality. Conclusions Male gender, hypertension, SOFA > 9, and increased creatinine were identified as the predictors for mortality. Infectious aetiology remained undetected in nearly half of the cases using routine microbiology culture methods. Mortality within the first 48 h of admission to ICU is high and prompts the need for increasing awareness about early sepsis diagnosis in community health care settings.
The impact of panel composition and topic on stakeholder perspectives: Generating hypotheses from online maternal and child health modified‐Delphi panels

Multistakeholder engagement is crucial for conducting health services research. Delphi‐based methodologies combining iterative rounds of questions with feedback on and discussion of group results are a well‐documented approach to multistakeholder engagement. This study develops hypotheses about the impact of panel composition and topic on the propensity and meaningfulness of response changes in multistakeholder modified‐Delphi panels.
Estimating Effective Porosity in Bedrock Aquifers

Flow in many bedrock aquifers is through fracture networks. Point to point tracer tests using applied tracers provide a direct measure of time of travel and are most useful for determining effective porosity. Calculated values from these tests are typically between 10−4 and 10−2 (0.01% to 1%), with these low values indicating preferential flow through fracture and channel networks. Tracer tests are not commonly used in site investigations, and specific yield is often used as a proxy for effective porosity. The most popular methods have used centrifuge measurements, water table fluctuations, pumping tests, and packer tests. Specific yield varies substantially with the testing method. No method is as reliable as tracer testing for providing estimates of effective porosity, but all methods provide complementary insights on aquifer structure. Temporal and spatial scaling effects suggest that bedrock aquifers have hierarchical structures, with a network of more permeable fractures and channels, which are connected to less permeable fractures and to the matrix. Consequences of the low effective porosities include groundwater velocities that often exceed 100 m/d and more frequent microbial contamination than in aquifers in unconsolidated sediments. The large uncertainty over the magnitude of effective porosity in bedrock aquifers makes it an important parameter to determine in studies where time of travel is of interest.