bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermoregulatory adjustments in sepsis: insights from the cecal ligation and puncture experimental model
Authors: Costa Luis HA , Trajano Isis P , Passaglia Patricia , Branco Luiz GS
Published: April 2024

Sepsis remains as a major health concern, given its high prevalence and mortality worldwide. Changes in body temperature (Tb), i.e., hypothermia or fever, are important diagnostic clues and part of the pathophysiology of this condition. Experimental studies often use bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to investigate the changes in Tb during sepsis, however, this model poorly mimics the complexity of this disease. In this work we aimed to characterize the thermoregulatory mechanisms during sepsis by using a clinically relevant murine model, the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and describe how sepsis severity and ambient temperature (Ta) modulate Tb regulation. We show that at thermoneutral Ta (28℃) the degree of the febrile response is proportional to the disease severity and the inflammatory response. In this condition, tail vasoconstriction, rather than non-shivering thermogenesis, seems to be the main generator of CLP-induced fever. On the other hand, when housed in a subthermoneutral Ta (22℃), animals are able to maintain Tb during mild sepsis, but develop a moderate hypothermia in a severe condition. This reduction in Tb was associated to lower UCP1 expression in the brown adipose tissue and less consistent tail vasoconstriction than the observed in mild sepsis. Although we observe differences in the thermoregulatory responses at the two Ta conditions, sepsis induced a persistent inflammatory response and increased the production of hypothalamic PGE2, a critical mediator of body temperature adjustments during an inflammatory condition. Mortality rate in response to severe sepsis was dramatically impacted by Ta (80% mortality at 28℃ and 0% mortality at 22℃). Our results demonstrate that the ambient temperature and the magnitude of the inflammatory insult deeply modulate the thermoregulatory responses and survival during sepsis.
Exploring genetic associations between leukocyte telomere length and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using mendelian randomization
Authors: Yan Yan , Wang Renjie , Mu Xiaohui , Liu Yunlong , Wang Rongfeng , Xia Mingwu , Cao Shugang
Published: April 2024

In this study, we conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore potential associations between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using the summary data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS). LTL (n = 472,174), HCM (n = 218792), heart failure (HF) (n = 218792), and HCM with HF (HCM-HF) (n = 218540) were sampled from the GWAS database. Various methods such as MR-Egger, inverse variance weighting (IVW), and weighted median were employed to estimate causal effects. In the forward MR analysis, MR results indicated that shorter LTL might be associated with an increased risk of HCM (IVW: OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.19–3.16, p = 0.008), HF (IVW: OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01–1.29, p = 0.035) and HCM-HF (IVW: OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.05–3.93, p = 0.036). Additionally, the reverse MR analysis did not reveal any significant causal effects. A shorter LTL might be associated with a higher risk of developing HCM, thus offering a basis for subsequent clinical investigations into the causal relationship between LTL and HCM.
Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Defense to Acute Changes of Water Ph in Liver and Muscle of Three Ornamental Fish
Authors: SRISAIPRAJ SRISAIPRAJWAL , ZUTSHI BELA
Published: April 2024

Ornamental fish during short-term or long-term transportation have stress-related effects due to their exposure to degrading levels of water quality e.g., pH (acidic or alkaline), oxygen, ammonia, temperature levels, etc., and captivity in container. Thus, estimation of biochemical parameters, as lipid peroxidation (LPO) and antioxidant enzymatic activities (SOD-superoxide dismutase, CAT-catalase, GST-glutathione-s-transferase) during pH shift response in liver and muscle of three ornamental fish such as black wagtail platy, rosy barb and lemon-yellow cichlid was reported here. Although 100% survivability was noted among all fish species but oxidative stress was marked with an increase in LPO levels in all fishes transported in different containers /plastic bags for a travel of 6hours by road and those exposed to short-term for 6hours/day for 96 hours to pH5 and pH10 maintained under lab conditions. Exposure of Rosy Barb to pH10 and platy and cichlid to pH5 induced significant increase in LPO in liver tissue compared to all transported fish whereas, muscle tissue of platy and cichlid showed increased activities of LPO during transportation compared to exposed ones and control group of fish. Significantly elevated levels of SOD activity in both tissues of all experimental fishes whereas CAT activity was more in liver tissue of transported fishes to counteract stress response and detoxify products of lipid peroxidation. Therefore, understanding variation in stress levels of ornamental fishes during transportation and exposure to pH levels which is tissue as well as species-specific becomes critically important for their welfare in aquaculture practices as observed in this study.
Longitudinal alterations in the Urinary Virome of Kidney Transplant Recipients are Influenced by BK viremia and Patient Sex
Authors: Maqsood Rabia , Wu Lily I. , Brennan Daniel C. , Lim Efrem S.
Published: April 2024

Little is known about the urinary virome and how it interacts with the host, particularly in renal transplant diseases. Using metagenomic sequencing, we characterized the urinary virome of 23 kidney transplant recipients longitudinally (11 BKV + patients and 12 BKV- patients). We applied linear mixed effects models, PERMANOVA, k-means clustering and MaAsLin2 algorithms to determine virome signatures associated with post-transplant time, BK viremia status, and patient sex. We found that the richness and alpha diversity of urinary virome was significantly different in renal transplant recipients with BKV + over time in comparison to BKV- (richness p = 0.012, alpha p < 0.0001). Female BKV- patients had significantly higher virome richness than males (p = 0.0063). Virome beta diversity was significantly different between patients by BKV status (p < 0.001). Additionally, we identified underlying interactions between patient sex and BKV status, in terms of virome beta diversity (p = 0.008). BK polyomavirus infections were primarily of subtypes IA, IB1 and IB2. The non-BK dominant samples clustered into 6 urinary virome community states. BKV- samples had more anelloviruses than BKV + samples, though this difference was not statistically significant. Lastly, we identified specific viruses, associated with BKV + and time in our samples. Our results indicate that dynamic alterations in the urinary virome over the post-transplant period in kidney transplant recipients can be shaped by BK viremia and patient sex. These findings advance our fundamental understanding of the urinary virome and supports a new line of investigation in renal disease and transplantation.
Longitudinal dynamics of the nasopharyngal microbiome in response to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and HIV infection in Kenyan women and their infants
Authors: Žuštra Ayla , Leonard Victoria R. , Holland LaRinda A. , Hu James C. , Mu Tianchen , Holland Steven C. , Wu Lily I. , Begnel Emily R. , Ojee Ednah , Chohan Bhavna H. , Richardson Barbra A. , Kinuthia John , Wamalwa Dalton , Slyker Jennifer , Lehman Dara A. , Gantt Soren , Lim Efrem S.
Published: April 2024

The nasopharynx and its microbiota are implicated in respiratory health and disease. The interplay between viral infection and the nasopharyngeal microbiome is an area of increased interest and of clinical relevance. The impact of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, on the nasopharyngeal microbiome, particularly among individuals living with HIV, is not fully characterized. Here we describe the nasopharyngeal microbiome before, during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a longitudinal cohort of Kenyan women (21 living with HIV and 14 HIV-uninfected) and their infants (18 HIV-exposed, uninfected and 18 HIV-unexposed, uninfected), followed between September 2021 through March 2022. We show using genomic epidemiology that mother and infant dyads were infected with the same strain of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant that spread rapidly across Kenya. Additionally, we used metagenomic sequencing to characterize the nasopharyngeal microbiome of 20 women and infants infected with SARS-CoV-2, 6 infants negative for SARS-CoV-2 but experiencing respiratory symptoms, and 34 timepoint matched SARS-CoV-2 negative mothers and infants. Since individuals were sampled longitudinally before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection, we could characterize the short- and long-term impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the nasopharyngeal microbiome. We found that mothers and infants had significantly different microbiome composition and bacterial load (p-values <.0001). However, in both mothers and infants, the nasopharyngeal microbiome did not differ before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of HIV-exposure status. Our results indicate that the nasopharyngeal microbiome is resilient to SARS-CoV-2 infection and was not significantly modified by HIV.
An exploration of empathy fatigue in counsellors and their use of self-care strategies
Authors: Venner Marc Alexander
Published: April 2024

The ability to join a client on a collaborative, non-expert level is based on a counsellor’s empathy. Yet the very capacity to show empathy and deep understanding of a client’s problems may make counsellors vulnerable to professional fatigue. Experiencing this phenomenon will negatively influence the therapeutic relationship. Self-care measures are at the core of bolstering a therapist’s resilience to ensure a high standard of working with clients. Instead of the more frequently researched compassion fatigue, this qualitative study uses the term empathy fatigue to broaden the scope of reported experiences. It examines the effects of empathy fatigue and self-care strategies reported by six counsellors from Asia-Pacific and Europe. While the lack of conceptual clarity on the different constructs of professional fatigue became apparent, rich data helped to interpret how the individual made sense of this phenomenon. Findings showed that self-care was commonly viewed as a self-mandated regimen satisfying both needs for empathy-free zones and social engagement. To help others, therapists need to help themselves first. Self-directed solution-focussed questions to gauge how effectively self-care measures in place are working prove useful for counsellors in managing and maintaining equilibrium in both professional and private settings.
Detecting AI-Generated Images via CLIP
Authors: Moskowitz Alexander , Gaona Tyler , Peterson Jacob
Published: April 2024

As AI-generated image (AIGI) methods become more powerful and accessible, it has become a critical task to determine if an image is real or AI-generated. Because AIGI lack the signatures of photographs and have their own unique patterns, new models are needed to determine if an image is AI-generated. In this paper, we investigate the ability of the Contrastive Language–Image Pre-training (CLIP) architecture, pre-trained on massive internet-scale data sets, to perform this differentiation. We fine-tune CLIP on real images and AIGI from several generative models, enabling CLIP to determine if an image is AI-generated and, if so, determine what generation method was used to create it. We show that the fine-tuned CLIP architecture is able to differentiate AIGI as well or better than models whose architecture is specifically designed to detect AIGI. Our method will significantly increase access to AIGI-detecting tools and reduce the negative effects of AIGI on society, as our CLIP fine-tuning procedures require no architecture changes from publicly available model repositories and consume significantly less GPU resources than other AIGI detection models.
Evaluation of custom-made VR exergame for at-home Stroke rehabilitation. A longitudinal single-arm study.
Authors: Castillo Julian Felipe Villada , Vega Maria Fernanda Montoya , Cardona John Edison Muñoz , Gallo Oscar Alberto Henao , Lopez Jose Fernando
Published: April 2024

Exercise games (Exergames) based on Virtual Reality (VR) have emerged as a promising option for supporting physical rehabilitation in stroke users. As a com- plementary therapy, they offer valuable benefits such as therapy engagement and enjoyment. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of an immersive, custom- made VR exergame designed for upper limb rehabilitation in stroke participants aged 50 and above. We conducted 14 sessions of 15 minutes involving ten par- ticipants (6 females, ages 58.1 ± 7.5 years old) who volunteered to participate in an assisted at-home rehabilitation process. The study employed a range of
evaluation tests to measure physical rehabilitation and game user experience out- comes. The tests included pre- and post-assessments of range of motion (ROM), the Ashworth spasticity test, and the Borg rating of perceived fatigue question- naire. To evaluate the game participant experience, we used the VR Neuroscience Questionnaire (VRNQ), and the Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire (ITQ). Our results revealed significant improvements in the range of motion for elbow and shoulder flexion, extension, adduction, and abduction. Furthermore, we observed a reduction in Ashworth spasticity, and the fatigue scale showed reduced per- ception comparing the last with the first session, although the difference was insignificant. The VRNQ questionnaire indicated significant enhancements in the domains related to ”Game Experience” and ”Game Mechanics” and an overall reduction of the perceived “Motion Sickness”. In the ITQ questionnaire, partic- ipants reported high levels of ”Attention,” and while there were no significant differences in ”Immersion” and ”Enjoyment,” a considerable improvement was observed in ”Excitement”. In summary, our results indicate that the immersive VR exergame improved the range of motion, spasticity, and overall game user experience among participants with stroke in a longitudinal, single-arm inter- vention. We conclude that using custom-made VR exergames is an effective and motivating tool for upper limb rehabilitation, with positive changes in both clin- ical and perception outcomes, and the positive and measurable effects persist after the first sessions. These findings support using VR exergames as a comple- mentary tool for at-home rehabilitation therapy with good ease of use, improved physical rehabilitation outcomes, and high treatment adherence.
Ecotoxicological Impact of Ad-Hoc Approved Synthetic Insecticides on the Biological Performance of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Hasan Fazil , Parveen Kahkashan , Bukhari Najat A. , Dhillon Mukesh Kumar , Singh Archana , Gill Rupali , Verma Rajan
Published: April 2024

Laboratory assessments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of seven ad-hoc approved insecticides, namely Chlorantraniliprole, Emamectin benzoate, Spinetoram, Thiodicarb, Chlorantraniliprole + Lambda-cyhalothrin, Emamectin benzoate + Lufenuron, and Novaluron + Emamectin benzoate, against Spodoptera frugiperda. These evaluations were carried out using a diet incorporation assay in a controlled laboratory environment with a temperature of 27 ± 1°C, relative humidity of 65 ± 5%, and a 12:12 (L:D) photoperiod. During the bioassay procedure, it is noteworthy that the doses of all tested insecticides were carefully administered within the minimum range of their recommended field rates. In acute toxicity trials, spinetoram had the greatest impact on reducing the survival of S. frugiperda. Similarly, corrected mortality was highest with spinetoram and lowest with thiodicarb. Additionally, chronic toxicity trials were conducted using life table response experiments (LTREs) in the F1 progeny of the group that had experienced acute toxicity. Extended development with the highest mortality was observed in spinetoram compared to other tested insecticides. Furthermore, life indices parameters like potential fecundity (Pf), natality rate (mx), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), net reproductive rate (mx) and finite rate of increase (λ) was greatly reduced in S. frugiperda treated with spinetoram compared with other insecticides specially thiodicarb. However, mean generation time (Tc), corrected generation time (τ) and the doubling time (DT) was prolonged in spinetoram compared with other tested insecticides. Furthermore, in sex ratio analysis, all tested insecticides, except for thiodicarb, led to a significant decrease in the proportion of females in the population of S. frugiperda. These findings strongly suggest the possible emergence of resistance in S. frugiperda against thiodicarb. Moreover, considering the endorsement of this insecticide by the Government of India through ad-hoc approval, farmers are likely to persist in its application. Hence, it is imperative to conduct further validation of these results, necessitating field evaluations for confirmation.
From Deep Learning Maze to Neural Network Waltz: Unveiling Peak Performance in Stellar Classification (Using SDSS DR17)
Authors: Chatterjee Debashis , Ghosh Prithwish
Published: April 2024

Stellar classification based on spectral characteristics plays a pivotal role in astronomy, facilitating the study of celestial bodies’ composition and evolution. In this research, we assess the performance of ten distinct machine learning algorithms in classifying stellar objects using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Leveraging features such as ’u’, ’g’, ’r’, ’i’, ’z’, and ’redshift’, with ’class’ as the target variable, we evaluate the accuracy of algorithms including XGBoost, CNN, RNN, AdaBoost, Adaptive Decision Learner, LSTM Networks, GRU, Random Forest Classifier, SVM, and Logistic Regression. Our findings reveal that the Random Forest Classifier outperforms other algorithms with an accuracy of 97.805%, showcasing its efficacy in capturing the complex spectral patterns of stellar objects. Moreover, other algorithms such as XGBoost, RNN, Adaptive Decision Learner, and GRU demonstrate notable accuracies ranging from 96.609% to 97.395%. This study underscores the utility of machine learning in stellar classification, offering valuable insights for astronomical research and enhancing our comprehension of the cosmos.
Development and Components of Chitosan primarily based Microspheres of Glibenclamide
Authors: Jha Souravh , Singh Pinky , Rai Arti
Published: April 2024

Microspheres is novel drug delivery system for improving therapeutic action of drug, increasing prolong action, lowering dose frequency of dosage form and to improve patient complies. Microspheres are reducing oral administration side effect such as gastric irritation in stomach. Glibenclamide microspheres were developed by ionotropic gelation method using sodium alginate and chitosan. Calcium chloride was used as a cross linking agent. Prepared microspheres were evaluated for entrapment efficiency, microsphere size, morphology, FTIR, DSC, in-vitro drug release and drug release kinetics. Prepared Glibenclamide microspheres were found discrete, free flowing and spherical. The mean particle size ranged from 349-540 µm and percentage yield ranged between 70 to 98.92%. The size of microsphere was increased by increasing concentration sodium alginate and calcium chloride while the entrapment efficiency was increased with increasing concentration of chitosan. XRD studies confirmed the crystalline nature of Glibenclamide. SEM studies showed that the microspheres are spherical and with rough surface. The in-vitro drug release study was carried out in phosphate buffer pH 7.4. Percent drug release was decreased with increase in concentration of sodium alginate and calcium chloride. Decreased drug release rate was obtained in case of F3 formulation containing sodium alginate and chitosan at 3:1 ratio and 5% calcium chloride as a cross-linking agent. The present study conclusively that Glibenclamide microsphere could be prepared successfully and formulation F3 was shows satisfactory result. The prepare Glibenclamide microspheres to maintain an effective of drug concentration in serum for long period of time and reducing gastric irritation.
The BireyselValue, a Proposed Method for Solving a Classification Problem
Authors: Dahman Deniz
Published: April 2024

This paper presents a new method for solving a classification problem; the BireyselValue method assumes that the individual traits of a class help to classify an observation based on similarity measures. The method involves three stages to solve the classification problem: the building stage, the training stage, and the prediction stage. The first two stages accomplish two key steps: firstly, five parameters are used to transform any observation of size \(n\) variables into six variables; secondly, subsets of the individual traits of each class are created. As a result, the parameters, the subsets of the individual traits, and a scaled version of the training dataset are saved as a predictive model. Ultimately, the prediction stage uses the elements in the predictive model to transform the observations that are to be classified and of size \(n\) into the size of six variables and to perform similarity measures between the observation and the individual traits of class to make the final prediction. The experimental results obtained on 6 multiclass datasets from different domains showed that the proposed method is efficient at solving classification problems. Moreover, the method can potentially be used for purposes other than solving a classification problem.
Family endowments and multidimensional poverty among urban older adults living alone
Authors: Cui Jinghang , Yin Xingxing , Zhou Rong
Published: April 2024

Background Disparities in family endowments play a pivotal role in shaping the multidimensional poverty among urban older adults living alone (UOALA).Methods This study conducted an empirical analysis using data from 1656 UOALA in five different cities in China to investigate the relationship between family endowments and the occurrence of multidimensional poverty among UOALA .Results The findings illustrate an expanding and deepening scale of poverty among UOALA, particularly manifested in dimensions of physical health and mental well-being. Females, super-aged adults, and those residing in non-first-tier cities exhibit higher levels of poverty incidence and depth. The study also reveals that while the number of children in a family does not significantly impact multidimensional poverty in UOALA, factors such as children’s proximity of residence and financial situation play a significant role. Moreover, gender differences are observed in the influence of sons and daughters on the poverty status of UOALA .Conclusions Enhancing family eldercare support capacity and improving societal welfare levels emerge as critical policy measures to prevent UOALA from falling into Multidimensional Poverty.
Strafen "zu Haut und Haar" : eine wissenschaftshistorische Analyse der strafrechtlichen Mittelalterrezeption bei Heinrich Brunner und Rudolf His
Authors: Musch Nele
Published: April 2024

Zwei nennenswerte Autoren des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts sind Heinrich Brunner sowie Rudolf His. Beiden gelang es durch intensive Quellenauswertung Licht in das vielmals als düster betrachtete Mittelalter zu bringen. Der Beitrag geht der Frage nach, wie Brunner und His die mittelalterlichen Quellen am Beispiel der Strafen zu Haut und Haar deuteten und was wir anhand der gezogenen Erkenntnisse über die Zeit, in der beide lebten, lernen können. Brunner und His waren Teil der germanistischen Strömung und lebten in einem Zeitalter, in dem neue Kodifikationen wie Unkraut aus der Erde schossen. Zudem war das 19. Jahrhundert von vielen gesellschaftlichen Umbrüchen geprägt. All diese Umstände sind in die Quellenanalyse der Autoren eingeflossen und führten stellenweise zu Kategorisierungsversuchen, Verallgemeinerungen und einer Rekonstruktion eines Systems, welches es so nicht gegeben haben kann.
Privatautonomie im Kauf- und Bereicherungsrecht der DDR : Preisbindung und Vertragsinhalt
Authors: Schmackert Karla
Published: April 2024

Die Privatautonomie ist ein zentrales Strukturmerkmal des deutschen Zivilrechts und eng mit der Vertragsfreiheit verwoben. Doch was macht die Privatautonomie konkret aus, in welchem Verhältnis steht sie zur Vertragsfreiheit und können beide losgelöst voneinander in einer Rechtsordnung verwirklicht sein? All diese Fragen, welche die grundlegenden Merkmale unseres geltenden Zivilrechts betreffen, stellen sich, wenn man sich der Frage widmet, ob es im Zivilrecht der DDR Privatautonomie gab. Der Blick zurück lohnt, auch um das geltende Zivilrecht und seine Strukturmerkmale noch besser zu verstehen.
APPLICATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES TO DISPLAY THE STRUCTURE OF THE HEART
Authors: Petrov Vitaliy , Pankiv Mariana
Published: April 2024

Introduction. It is difficult to display the heart structure with traditional drawings due to its complex three-dimensional structure. Therefore, to depict the heart anatomy, it became necessary to use three-dimensional models, and appropriate digital technologies for the latter became available in the recent decades.
Material and methods. Manuscripts reflecting the key stages of the emergence of three-dimensional digital technologies for the heart anatomy visualization and fields of their medical implementation were selected from the MEDLINE database.
Results. Three-dimensional reconstructions of the heart are created by the method of segmentation from the results of radiological examinations (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound diagnostics). The created models reproduce the anatomy of the cardiovascular system in vivo. Digital models are interactive and allow the user to explore the external form and internal structure. The images can be viewed on a computer screen or stereoscopically using a virtual reality headset and smart glasses, the models can be rotated at any angle, “immersed” into or divided into parts. Repeated manipulations that are impossible with real organs can be performed on the reconstructions (virtual autopsy). The new tools are used in education and teaching anatomy, fundamental research of the structure of the normal and diseased heart, they supplement diagnostic cardiology reports, are used in planning or performing endovascular and surgical interventions. Digital models can be imported into mixed reality devices and thus used for navigation during surgical and endovascular interventions.
Conclusion. Novel three-dimensional technologies have made progress in education, teaching, scientific study of heart anatomy, as well as diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases of the cardiovascular system. Digital images, as opposed to traditional drawings, are interactive and can be viewed both on a computer and with extended reality devices. The use of the novel heart imaging modalities deepens the understanding of the fundamental anatomy, facilitates basic education, makes the diagnostic conclusions more descriptive, and contributes to the more accurate performance of interventions. The positive results of the implementations of these technologies justify and stipulate their further utilization.
FEATURES OF RESPIRATORY FAILURE IN PREMATURE INFANTS WITH NEONATAL SEPSIS
Authors: Teslitskyi Olexandr , Koloskova Оlena , Bilous Tetiana , Tarnavska Svitlana , Kretsu Nataliia , Koz’ma Oleksiy
Published: April 2024

Neonatal sepsis remains the main cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care units. In particular, the share of sepsis in the structure of neonatal respiratory failure reaches 35.3%. At the same time, the search for sensitive indicators of the critical course of the acute respiratory distress syndrome against the background of the septic process remains relevant.
Objective. To study the peculiarities of the course of respiratory failure in the dynamics of treatment of premature babies with neonatal sepsis, depending on the gestational age.
Material and methods. To achieve this goal, in the conditions of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Regional Municipal Non-Commercial Enterprise "Chernivtsi Regional Children's Clinical Hospital" during 2021–2022 a comprehensive prospective study was conducted of 60 prematurely born patients with neonatal sepsis, which progressed with the phenomena of respiratory failure. Group I included 36 newborns (with gestational age up to and including 32 weeks), according to group II – 24 infants (gestational age > 32 weeks).
Research results. Oxygen dependence was most clearly reflected by lower SpO2 indicators and, accordingly, the need to increase FiO2, which was explained by the immaturity of the respiratory system in children with a critically low gestational age. In ¾ of the newborns of the II clinical group, respiratory index exceeded 200 mmHg, and in the I clinical group this sign occurred only in every second patient: AR - 30.1%, RR – 1.9 (95% CI: 1.5–2.5), OR – 3.5 (95% CI: 1.9–6.5). It was established that with a critically short gestation period against the background of worse adaptation to extrauterine living conditions, clinical signs of respiratory distress, lower respiratory index and higher hypercarbia are more pronounced in babies with relatively comparable parameters of respiratory support.
Conclusion. Clinical and paraclinical features of respiratory failure against the background of neonatal sepsis in prematurely born children consist of deeper disturbances of the gas composition of the blood, torpidity to measures of respiratory protection in newborns with a critically short gestation period, which is explained by the combined pathogenetic influence of the immaturity of the respiratory system and the aggressive influence of infectious and inflammatory process.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS DEPENDING ON THE METHOD OF AORTIC STENOSIS CORRECTION: TAVI VERSUS SAVR WITH A BIOLOGICAL PROSTHESIS
Authors: Todurov Mykhailo , Zelenchuk Oleg , Khokhlov Andriy , Stan Mykola , Ponych Natalia , Sudakevych Serhiy , Todurov Borys
Published: April 2024

Introduction. The impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI) on health-related quality of life (QoL) is critical, especially for elderly patients who often prioritize quality of life over duration, but the QoL benefits of this technique have been largely unexplored . The purpose of this work was to conduct a comparative analysis of the quality of life of patients after correction of aortic valve stenosis using TAVI and surgical aortic valve prosthetics with a biological prosthesis.
Materials and methods. Adult patients (over 18 years of age) who underwent primary surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement at the State Institution "Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health" between 2018 and 2022 are included in the study. Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire one day before and 6 months after the procedure.
The results. The study included 72 patients, of whom TAVI was performed in 47 (65.3 %) cases and SAVR with a biological prosthesis in 25 (34.7 %) cases. Patients with TAVI were older (p = 0.007) and characterized by a significantly higher level of operative risk according to EuroSCORE II (p < 0.001) compared to patients with SAVR. In TAVI patients, there was a significant improvement in all SF-36 parameters in the postoperative period compared to baseline values (p < 0.05), while parameters such as pain (p = 0.917) and mental health (p = 0.053 ) were not significantly different compared to baseline values in patients with SAVR biological prosthesis.
Conclusions. The results of the assessment of the quality of life in the TAVI group at the end of the 6th month were characterized by a reliable increase in all indicators according to the SF-36 questionnaire, while in patients with SAVR, the dynamics of two indicators, such as mental health and pain, were recorded as unreliable.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROLONGED FLUORIDE ION RELEASE IN CONTEMPORARY DENTAL ENAMEL SEALANTS
Authors: Noenko Igor , Karpchuk Liudmyla , Gurando Vyacheslav , Maryan-Yovbak Viktoria , Kulish Andrii , Mochalov Iurii
Published: April 2024

The objective of the study was to investigate the amount of long-term fluoride ion release from three materials (sealants) – “Fissurit FX”, “Clinpro™Sealant” and “Jen-Fissufil” in laboratory condition.
Materials and methods: 4 standard samples from three modern photocomposite sealants for tooth enamel (“Fissurit FX” (VOCO), “Clinpro™Sealant” (3M™ ESPE™) and “Jen-Fissufil” (Jendental Ukraine LLC)) were polymerized according to instructions of producer and were placed in deionized water in plastic tubes. The conditions for manufacturing the samples were standardized, with the air temperature in the laboratory maintained at 22.0 ± 1.0 °C and the relative humidity at 50.0 ± 5.0%. These conditions comply with ISO 7489 standards. An amount of fluoride ions was studied using the electronic ionometer on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 32nd day of exposition in the deionized water tacked from plastic tube. Throughout the study duration, the tubes containing the samples were stored in a thermostat at a temperature of 37.00 ± 0.50°C
Results: The all three enamel sealants selected for the study released fluoride ions for an extended period after polymerization, up to 30 days. The highest level of fluoride ion emission in distilled water occured on the next day after polymerization. This phenomenon can be attributed to the ongoing polymerization-depolymerization reactions within the material itself (composite conversion). “Fissurit FX” samples showed the highest F- release: 4.80 µg/cm² – day 1, and stabilized at 0.45 µg/cm² by day 14. Day 14 to 30 – from 0.13 to 0.17 µg/cm². “Jen-Fissufil” released 3.54 µg/cm² on 1st day, 0.74 µg/cm² on 7th, and 0.26 – 0.44 µg/cm² afterwards. “Clinpro™Sealant” – 1.84 µg/cm² of F- on 1st day, 0.58 on 2nd, 0.53 µg/cm² on 3rd. From 21st day – from 0.20 to 0.21 µg/cm². Comparison of the levels of fluoride ion release revealed a consistent pattern of element release within a month after polymerization for all materials: “Jen-Fissufil” exhibited the highest release, followed by “Clinpro™Sealant” and “Fissurit FX” with the lowest release. This trend was consistent throughout the month, except for the first day when “Fissurit FX” exhibited the highest release of fluoride ions.
Conclusions: The enamel dental composite sealants “Fissurit FX”, “Clinpro™Sealant” and “Jen-Fissufil” are capable of emitting fluoride ions after use on enamel. The highest level of emission in distilled water occurs 24 hrs after polymerization, the process lasts more than 30 days in less amounts.
Leaf Architecture and Genome Size Variation of Durio zibethinus L. from Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Authors: Kamaruddin Shamin-Shazwan  , Rozilawati Shahari  , Che Nurul Aini Che Amri  , Mohd Razik Midin
Published: April 2024

Durio zibethinus L. is known as the “king of fruit” in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan has always become the top choice district to visit for durian lover for its Durian Kampung Jelebu, which possessed good quality on par with top D. zibethinus clones such as D197 Musang King and D24. However, there is still lacking in taxonomic data of D. zibethinus especially from Jelebu. This study aimed to analyse the leaf architecture and genome size variations of selected D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu. Five D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu were examined. Thirty-seven parameters of gross leaf morphological characteristics and leaf venation pattern were observed and recorded for identification and classification of D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu. Seven parameters have been recorded which are petiole length, petiole features, leaf size, leaf shape, leaf base shape, lower leaf surface colour and areolation could be used in differentiating between accessions. Results of this study showed the intraspecific variations existed among D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu with a genome size varying between 1.7433 pg and 1.800 pg. In conclusion, data on leaf architecture and genome size variations from D. zibethinus accessions are beneficial for early plant identification and classification.
Thermal Relationship in Tropical Anurans from Two Contrasting Habitats Along an Elevation Gradient in Colombia
Authors: Katalina Gutiérrez Hernández  , Carlos Alberto Galindo Martínez  , Jorge Luis Turriago González  , Manuel Hernando Bernal Bautista
Published: April 2024

Anurans are ectothermic organisms highly susceptible to variations in the environmental temperature that changes with elevation and between habitats in tropical mountains. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variation of body temperature (BT) of nocturnal anurans from two contrasting habitats (open and forest habitats) along an elevation gradient in Colombia. We measured the environmental temperatures (substrate and air) and BT of 135 adult frogs of 11 species from open and forest habitats at three elevational zones of an Andean Mountain. The BT had a positive and significant relationship with environmental temperatures and showed a higher thermal dependence for substrate than air temperature, which suggests that anurans are thermoconformers and potentially tigmotherms. Additionally, BT of anurans from both habitats decreased with the elevation, but species from open habitats had a higher BT than forest species. Therefore, the impact of environmental temperatures on anurans that live at a similar altitude level is not the same, as the type of habitat has a strong influence on their BT. This information is important to a better understanding of anuran thermal biology, refine conservation strategies, and to improve the predictive power of environmental data in forecasting the effects of climate change on small ectotherms such as amphibians.
Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Fishes in Two Major Rivers, the Chao Phraya and the Bang Pakong, in Thailand
Authors: Chayajit Deekrachang  , Chaiwut Grudpun  , Apinun Suvarnaraksha  , Pisit Phomikong  , Tuantong Jutagate
Published: April 2024

Length-weight relationship (LWR) was used as a tool to assess the status of fish stocks, through condition factor, in major rivers in Thailand. Fifty-one (51) fish species from each river, i.e., The examined for LWR using eleven years of monitoring data (2010–2020) for Bang Pakong and 14 years of monitoring data (2007–2020) for Chao Phraya, which comprised 57,871 samples. The parameters for LWR and condition factor were examined by species and by body shape, i.e., ovate, oblong, elongate or eel-like. The coefficient of determination (r2) of all log-transformed LWRs was greater than 0.90. Parameter b of LWR ranged between 2.06 and 3.46 (median = 3.00) for fishes from the Chao Phraya River and between 1.72 and 3.68 (median = 2.76) for fishes from the Bang Pakong River. The overall condition factor, which implies the well-being that indicates the health or fattening of the fishes in a stock, ranged between 0.93 and 1.09. There was no significant difference in the overall well-being (P = 0.279) between the two rivers. Fishes with oblong and elongate shapes in the Chao Phraya River showed higher median values of parameter b of LWR than those from the Bang Pakong River. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the well-being of the fish stocks between the two rivers when pooled by shape. The findings are fundamental information for fish stock assessment in the two rivers, which greatly support the small-scale fisheries in Thailand.
Morphological Characterisation of Three Populations of Heterobranchus longifilis from Nigeria
Authors: Alih Raphael A  , Solomon Shola Gabriel  , Olufeagba Samuel Olabode  , Cheikyula Joseph O.  , Abol-Munafi Ambok Bolong  , Mhd Ikhwanuddin  , Okomoda Victor Tosin
Published: April 2024

This study attempted to discriminate the population of Heterobranchus longifilis in Nigeria using their morphological characteristics. Therefore, 60 sexually mature wild samples of H. longifilis (1:1 for the male and female ratio) of relatively similar size (40 cm) were collected from three eco-regions namely, Guinea Savanna (Benue River, Makurdi), Rainforest Savanna (Niger River, Onitsha) and Sahel Savanna (Rima River, Sokoto). They were transported to the hatchery unit of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Joseph Sarwan Tarka University Makurdi where the morphometric data was collected. The data for 39 traditional morphometric measurements and 5 meristic counts obtained from each fish were subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis. While significant differences were observed in some parameters following univariate analysis; it was revealed that the morphometric parameters and meristic counts could not separate the fish from the different ecoregions into distinct multivariate spaces or clusters following Principal Component Analysis. Hence, this suggests that morphological parameters cannot be used to discriminate H. longifilis from the different ecoregions. Studies using molecular markers are needed to further characterise the distinctiveness of the different populations.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C)
Authors: Aune Tore , Hjemdal Odin
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C) er et selvutfyllingsskjema for barn og unge som måler nivå av sosial angst. SPAI-C er utviklet av Turner, Beidel, og Morris og ble første gang rapportert, omtalt og beskrevet internasjonalt i 1995, og i Norge i 2008. SPAI-C består av 26 testledd. Hvert av leddene er rangert på en tre-punkts Likert-skala. I forhold til skåring er 18 poeng anbefalt som klinisk cut-off skår. Instrumentet er hovedsakelig utviklet for barn og unge i alderen 8–14 år. Vanligvis tar det mellom 10–20 minutter å fylle ut skjemaet. For administrering og tolkning av SPAI-C er det anbefalt et kompetansekrav på nivå B (Masternivå) i henhold til Multi-Health Systems inc. kvalifikasjonskrav.
Litteratursøk: Søket etter dokumentasjon for måleegenskapene til SPAI-C resulterte i 22 originale referanser, hvorav seks norske og tre svenske ble inkludert. Tre av de inkluderte studiene er tverrsnittstudier, fire er intervensjonsstudier, mens to studier er av longitudinell karakter. SPAI-C er blitt benyttet både i kliniske utvalg, i normalutvalg, og i populasjonsutvalg. For de ni inkluderte studiene bestod utvalgene av gutter og jenter i alderen 11–15 år.
Psykometri: Alle studiene rapporterer middelverdier. To studier har undersøkt faktorstrukturen til SPAI-C, mens i fem studier er det rapportert begrepsvaliditet, og i to studier er det rapportert test-retest, samtidig validitet og diskriminant validitet. De psykometriske egenskapene til SPAI-C vurderes som adekvate. Rapporterte reliabilitetsskårer på tvers av studier ligger over 0,90. Validiteten til SPAI-C støttes av forventede assosiasjoner med depresjon, flere angstlidelser, kliniske observasjoner og intervju. SPAI-C synes sensitiv for å identifisere ungdom som tilfredsstiller kriteriene for sosial angstlidelse, men tenderer til å identifisere for mange falske positive. Videre er SPAI-C sensitivt for endring over tid, blant annet for ungdom som går i terapi.
Konklusjon: Skandinaviske studier indikerer at måleegenskapene til SPAI-C er adekvate, og at det er et nyttig selvutfyllingsskjema for å identifisere ungdom med sosiale angstsymptomer.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Adolescent Sleep-Wake Scale (ASWS)
Authors: Hysing Mari , Jakobsen Reidar
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: The Adolescent Sleep-Wake Scale (ASWS) er et spørreskjema som kartlegger søvn og søvnatferd hos ungdom i alderen 12–18 år. Skjemaet består av 28 påstander om søvn og søvnatferd den siste måneden. Påstandene skåres på en seks punktsskala (fra aldri til alltid) og summeres til fem subskalaskårer og en totalskår. Det tar mellom ti og femten minutter å fylle ut skjemaet. Originalinstrumentet er laget av LeBourgeois og kollegaer. De tilpasset The Childrens Sleep-Wake Scale til ungdommer. Instrumentet er oversatt til norsk ved professor Ståle Pallesen, UIB og SOVno.
Litteratursøk: Et systematisk litteratursøk og kontakt med oversetter identifiserte ikke noen artikler som benyttet ASWS.
Psykometri: Det foreligger ikke dokumentasjon på psykometriske egenskaper i norske eller nordiske artikler.
Konklusjon: Det bør utøves varsomhet ved bruk av ASWS i klinisk praksis. Norske populasjonsbaserte studier som benytter instrumentet er nødvendige for å kartlegge skjemaets psykometriske egenskaper.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Sense of Coherence (SOC-13)
Authors: Kaiser Sabine , Kyrrestad Henriette
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: Sense of Coherence (SOC)/Opplevelse av sammenheng ble utviklet av Antonovsky (1987) og består i originalversjonene av 29 spørsmål (SOC-29) og i en forkortet versjon av 13 spørsmål (SOC-13). SOC-13 er oversatt til norsk og alderstilpasset til barn og unge av Torsheim og Wold i 1998. Det foreligger ikke en norsk versjon av SOC-29 og denne artikkelen handler derfor kun om SOC-13. Det finnes rettighetshavere til SOC, men det stilles ingen kompetansekrav til administrering av testen. SOC kan beskrives som en indre holdning til hvordan folk ser på livet og i hvilken grad de opplever at stimuli de blir konfrontert med er begripelig, håndterbar og meningsfull, hvilket utgjør de tre skalaene. Det anbefales å anvende total skår. Høye skårer betyr høy opplevelse av sammenheng og er derfor ønskelig. Det tar omtrent 10–15 minutter å svare på SOC-13. Litteratursøk: Søket resulterte i 12 norske og 13 danske og svenske inkluderte studier, men studiene brukte ulike versjoner av SOC-13. Psykometri: Indre konsistens i form av Cronbach`s alfa var god for totalskåren av SOC-13 for de norske studiene. Begrepsvaliditet ble støttet gjennom konfirmerende faktoranalyse. Conclusion: Fremtidige studier anbefales å anvende en standardisert versjon av SOC-13 og det bør utvikles et norsk normgrunnlag for måleinstrumentet.
Måleegenskaper ved den norske versjonen av Brief Problem Monitor (BPM)
Authors: Backer-Grøndahl Agathe , Martinussen Monica
Published: April 2024

Beskrivelse: Brief Problem Monitor (BPM) er en kortversjon av kartleggingssystemet Achenbach System of Empirical Based Assessment (ASEBA). Instrumentet er utviklet for at man enkelt skal kunne følge med på barnets/ungdommens utvikling på eksternaliserende problemer, internaliserende problemer og oppmerksomhetsproblemer, inkludert eventuell endring etter en intervensjon. Det finnes tre versjoner; én for foreldre (BPM-P), én for lærere (BPM-T), og én for ungdom (BPM-Y). Det er 19 spørreskjemaledd (18 i BPM-T), og disse er hentet fra de tilsvarende lengre ASEBA-skjemaene (CBCL, TRF og YSR). BPM består av tre delskalaer (én skala for hvert problemområde), samt en samleskår. BPM er utviklet av Achenbach, McConaughy, Ivanova, og Rescorla (2011). I den norske versjonen har man hentet ut ledd fra CBCL 6-18, TRF og YSR, oversatt av Torunn S. Nøvik og Sonja Heyerdahl og publisert i 1986/88, 1993 og 2002 (Kornør & Jozefiak, 2012). Litteratursøk: Litteratursøket resulterte i kun én artikkel der det rapporteres resultater på BPM i et norsk utvalg. Artikkelen inkluderer mål på indre konsistens (reliabilitet) og resultater som belyser begrepsvaliditeten basert på to store norske normalutvalg i barne- og ungdomsskolealder. Psykometri: Resultatene tyder på god reliabilitet for samleskåren i de tre versjonene av BPM, mens det hefter noe mer usikkerhet rundt enkelte av delskalaene, spesielt i BPM-Y. Korrelasjonene mellom delskalaene i BPM og de tilsvarende skalaene i de lengre instrumentene er svært høye og støtter begrepsvaliditeten til BPM. Konklusjon: BPM kan muligens være et nyttig instrument for å måle atferds- og emosjonsproblemer hos barn og unge, men det trengs flere studier på skandinaviske utvalg for å kunne konkludere om de psykometriske egenskapene. Ettersom hensikten med instrumentet er å følge barns utvikling på problemene over tid eller som respons på en intervensjon, er det ønskelig med studier der man benytter BPM over tid og der deltakerne mottar en intervensjon.