bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acolhimento e fluxo de pacientes com transtorno mental na Atenção Primária: relato de experiência
Authors: Barcelos Letícia Beatriz Fonseca , Silva Tatiany Cristine , Nnunes Caroline Jonas Rezaghi Ricomini
Published: October 2022

Introdução: Com o aumento do número de pacientes com transtornos mentais, consequentemente eleva-se a prevalência dos atendimentos nas unidades de saúde. Neste contexto, os profissionais da atenção primária são os responsáveis por prestar um acolhimento e direcionar os fluxos desses usuários quando necessário. Objetivo: Relatar a experiência sobre o desenvolvimento e implementação da cartilha sobre acolhimento e fluxos desses usuários como material educativo para os profissionais de Saúde da Atenção Primária. Métodos: Trata-se de um relato de experiência do tipo descritivo de uma residente do Programa Multiprofissional de Saúde da Família e Comunidade (ESCS), onde foi realizada uma intervenção em uma Unidade de Saúde localizada no Distrito Federal, seguindo os pressupostos do Arco de Maguerez. Resultados e Discussão: A atenção primária à saúde funciona como porta de entrada no sistema de saúde aos usuários que possuem algum transtorno psíquico, é o espaço privilegiado para o acolhimento à pessoa que está em sofrimento agudo e para construção de vínculo longitudinal. É preciso um constante exercício de auto avaliação dos profissionais para evitar enquadrar esses usuários em estereótipos, lembrando sempre que esses se encontram em situação de fragilidade e necessitam ser cuidados, as situações referentes ao campo da saúde mental estão entre aquelas que mais exigem esforço da equipe para a percepção oportuna do problema e a tomada de decisão. Conclusão: A cartilha tornou-se uma estratégia que visa realizar educação em saúde, que poderá ser utilizada como material de apoio por qualquer profissional de Saúde auxiliando no atendimento do usuário.
LOW-VELOCITY IMPACT OF WOVEN GLASS FIBER/EPOXY COMPOSITE USING DIFFERENT FIBER ORIENTATION AND NUMBERS OF LAYERS: EXPERIMENT AND SIMULATION
Authors: A. Ali A.eldaim , AI Seedahmed , Mohmmed Ramadan
Published: October 2022

-In this work, the synergistic effect of woven structure and asymmetric glass fiber epoxy composites on impact response was studied by experimental and numerical methods based on fiber orientation and number of layers. Three finite element models of G16, G26 and G4 (0/45/90)s, (+45/-45/90)s and (+45/-45)s respectively composites under low velocity impact were established in ABAQUS software and three samples was made same of samples on the finite element model to be tested on drop weight. All samples were manufactured by hand lay-up. Impacts with various energies 3, 9, and 15 J was applied to G16, G26 and G4. The FD curve obtained by simulation is well analyzed with the FD curve obtained by experiments, and the level of the higher values of force obtained from scalar is almost identical to the level of peak force values obtained from experimental tests with the difference in the level of displacement between them. In addition, the highest power obtained for the sample is G26, followed by G16, then G4.
GEOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF SOIL USED FOR FARMING FROM AN ABANDONED MINING SITE IN JOS-SOUTH L.G.A., USING ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY (AAS) TECHNIQUES
Authors: YS Sanda , I Iliyasu , JW Danbaba
Published: October 2022

This study was undertaken to assay the geochemical assessment of soil used for farming from an abandoned mining site in Jos-South L.G.A., using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) techniques, Plateau state, Nigeria. A modified sequential extraction procedure of Tessier et. al., (17) was used in separating the total metal concentrations into four operationally defined fractions (exchangeable and carbonate, Fe and Mn oxides, organic matter, and residual fractions).Where it was discovered that the bulk of metals were partitioned to the residual fraction (Zn- 138.85ppm, Pb-55.59ppm and Cd-2.5ppm) which implies that the soils of the farmland are not polluted by any of the metals studied. Pollution indices also as compared with Banat et. al., (3) standards, indicated minimal contamination of the soils matrix with Cd, which had enrichment factor value of 15.4 and I-geo factor of 4. The bulk partitioning of the metals onto the residual fraction indicates a lithogenic origin of the heavy metals, i.e. the heavy metals were directly inherited from the parent material, and also a low risk of contaminant transfer under normal cultural practices. However, It is recommended that soil sample collections should be done in such a way that mobility index can be calculated, because it is a more reliable indicator which considers the weakly adsorbed fractions alone, after a sequential extraction has been done.
FINITE ELEMENT MODELING OF CFRP COMPOSITE POLE STRUCTURES
Authors:   South Bank University, M. Mohamed Hamdy
Published: October 2022

— In recent years, FRP composites, which are made of reinforcing fibers and a thermosetting resin, have been widely used as advanced construction materials. The tapered FRP poles are currently considered attractive in the application of the light poles and electrical transmission tower element. A finite element (FE) program was used to perform a nonlinear numerical analysis to model the static flexural behavior of CFRP poles. A parametric study was carried out to study the effect of replacing glass fiber (GFRP) by carbon fiber (CFRP) on the FRP pole behaviors. The ultimate capacity, top deflection and stiffness increase are presented. The study demonstrates that replacing carbon fiber by glass fiber of the FRP poles a good improvement achieved. The total load capacity of the FRP poles and the stiffness increased with increasing the percentage of carbon fiber.
ON THE PRIMITIVITY AND SOLUBILITY OF DIHEDRAL GROUPS OF DEGREE 3P THAT ARE NOT P-GROUPS BY NUMERICAL APPROACH
Authors:   Federal University, Ben J. O. , Hamma I , Adamu M. S. ,   Abubaka Tafawa Balewa University
Published: October 2022

Let G be a dihedral group of degree 3p, p an odd prime. We apply some Group concepts and discuss primitivity and solubility by Numerical Approach. The method adopted uses a standard programme - Groups, Algorithms and Programming (GAP) to facilitate and validate our results.
EFFECTS OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY FOR TWO WAYS COMMUNICATION ON STUDENTS WITH HARD OF HEARING IN OTANA INTEGRATED SCHOOL, JOS, PLATEAU STATE
Authors: Ruth Kutlat Wumbuet , Philip Daze Longdas , Danladi Dafom Ngyak
Published: October 2022

This paper was designed to find out the effects of information and communication technology for two-way communication on students with hearing impairment in Otana Integrated School. The purpose of the study was to determine the availability of ICT facilities for two-way communication among students with hearing impairment; determine the main ICT used for two 0way communication and determine the challenges faced by students in the use of ICT facilities in Otana Integrated School. Descriptive research design was used for the study. The population of the study consist of fifteen (15) students with hearing impairment. A researcher made questionnaire comprising of fifteen items was used to generate data for the study. Three research questions and one hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Simple percentage and mean were used to analyze the data collected from the study while Analysis of Variance ANONA was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that there is a positive correlation between the use of ICT and academic performance of students with hearing impairment in school subjects.The major challenges are those of electricity supply and the cost of maintaining the facilities.It was recommended that ICT facilities, internet connection and power supply should be make available and functional for students’ two-way communication.
Synthesis of cesium lead halide perovskite/zinc oxide (CsPbX3/ZnO, X= Br, I) as heterostructure photocatalyst with improved activity for heavy metal degradation
Authors: Gull Sehrish , Batool Saima , Li Guijun , Idrees Muhammad
Published: October 2022

Inorganic perovskites have been recognized as highly potent materials for the display and medical industries due to their outstanding features. However, there haven’t been many reports on their implications as a photocatalyst for the removal of heavy metals. Photocatalysis has been regarded as a significant approach for the removal of pollutants because of its great sustainability, improved efficiency, and reduced energy consumption. Here, we applied inorganic cesium lead halides (Br and I) with zinc oxide heterostructure as a photocatalyst for the first time. The heterostructure has been synthesized by the traditional hot injection strategy and its photocatalytic activity was systematically investigated. Interestingly, the CsPbX3/ZnO heterostructure as a photocatalyst has a homogeneous geometry and possesses an excellent degradation efficiency of over 50% under xenon UV-Visible light. The CsPbX3/ZnO catalyst carries superior oxidation/reduction properties and ionic conductivity due to the synergistic photogenerated charge carrier and interaction between CsPbX3 and ZnO. The recycling experiment showed the good stability of the catalysts. These findings suggest that inorganic lead halide heterostructure has the potential to be used for heavy metal degradation and water pollution removal catalysts.
Clinical efficacy and safety of ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis vs. standard catheter-directed thrombolysis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: A study level meta-analysis of clinical trials
Authors: Sun Bing , Yang Jing Xiao , Wang Zi Kuan , Zhou Hai Jia , Chu Yi , Li Yan , Chen Rui Rui
Published: October 2022

Aim

To compare the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis (USAT) vs. standard catheter-directed thrombolysis (SCDT) in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (aPE).

Methods

This study analyzed the clinical outcomes of patients with non-low-risk aPE who received USAT or SCDT. The primary outcomes were all-cause death, total bleeding, and major bleeding. Secondary outcomes included pulmonary thrombotic load score (Miller), improvement in right ventricular-to-left ventricular ratio (RV/LV), dose and duration of the thrombolytic drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), length of stay (LOS) in the ICU, and total LOS in the hospital.

Results

A total of seven articles and 451 patients were included in this study. 241 patients were in the USAT group and 210 patients were in the SCDT group. There were no significant differences in all-cause mortality, total bleeding, and major bleeding between the two groups. Miller scores for pulmonary thrombus also showed no difference between the two groups, but pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was lower in the SCDT group after-treatment. The reduction of RV/LV from baseline was more pronounced in the SCDT group than in the USAT group (OR: −0.14, 95%CI: −0.20 to 0.07,P< 0.0001,I2= 0%). Total dose of tPA and duration of infusion in the USAT group were lower than those in the SCDT group, but there was no significant statistical difference. LOS in the ICU was similar between the two groups, while LOS in the hospital was lower in the SCDT group.

Conclusion

This study did not detect any differences in all-cause mortality, total bleeding, and major bleeding between non-low-risk aPE patients treated with USAT or SCDT. Improvement in right ventricular function was better in the SCDT group, and hospital LOS was lower in the SCDT group.
Ligand-based discovery of a novel GATA2 inhibitor targeting acute myeloid leukemia cells
Authors: Menendez-Gonzalez Juan Bautista , Strange Kathryn E. , Bassetto Marcella , Brancale Andrea , Rodrigues Neil P. , Ferla Salvatore
Published: October 2022

Despite major therapeutic advances leading to improved patient outcomes for other haematological malignancies, development of new therapeutics to improve prognosis for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients remains an area of unmet clinical need. Overexpression of GATA2, a member of the GATA family of zinc finger transcription factors, has been implicated in AML. In settings where GATA2 is overexpressed in human AML cells, K7174, a proteasome inhibitor that inhibits GATA2, induces apoptosis and enhances the killing activity of AML chemotherapeutics in vitro yet targeting the proteasome has been associated with high toxicity in the clinic. Using an in silico approach, we embarked on a screen to identify specific GATA2 inhibitors that will target AML cells independently of the proteasome. A shape-based virtual screening of an in-house library of small molecules was performed using a low-energy conformation of K7174. The virtual hit compounds were subsequently filtered according to their potential selectivity for GATA2 over the proteasome. From 15 selected compounds evaluated for their ability to kill AML cells in vitro, one compound, an asymmetrical substituted piperazine with Hepatitis C antiviral activity, exhibited superior ability to induce apoptosis and reduce cell cycling in AML cells without proteasome inhibition. This compound was also able to promote cell death of the relapse propagating leukemic stem cell (LSC) compartment while sparing Gata2 knockout LSCs, crucially demonstrating specificity to inhibit GATA2. We have identified a GATA2 specific inhibitor with promising capability to target AML cells in vitro, including LSCs that underpin poor prognosis in AML.
Supraglacial lake expansion, intensified lake drainage frequency, and first observation of coupled lake drainage, during 1985–2020 at Ryder Glacier, Northern Greenland
Authors: Otto Jacqueline , Holmes Felicity A. , Kirchner Nina
Published: October 2022

Along the Greenland Ice Sheet margin, supraglacial lakes store and redistribute ice sheet surface run off, and comprise an important potential hydrological link between the ice surface and the base, with ramifications for subglacial drainage systems and ice flow. As a consequence of increasing global mean surface air temperatures, these lakes have been predicted to expand further inland and to affect larger areas of the ice sheet. However, as contemporary dynamics of such supraglacial lake expansion are not well studied, any assessment of their future implications remains afflicted with uncertainty. Here, recent changes in supraglacial lake distribution and expansion, and in their drainage behavior and frequency, are presented for Ryder Glacier, Northern Greenland, as concluded from a remote sensing based analysis. The 35-year time span covered in the analysis allows for the detection of trends in lake processes and ice velocity, which otherwise were found to exhibit large inter-annual variability. It also reveals the first occurrence of a coupled lake drainage event in 2002. By linking supraglacial lake expansion, drainage modes, and drainage frequency to the efficiency of the subglacial drainage system and ice flow on seasonal and decadal timescales, a contribution is made to better understand the complexity of coupled glacio-hydrological processes, and to help reduce uncertainties in predictions of future mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet.
How does financial inclusion affect environmental degradation in the six oil exporting countries? The moderating role of information and communication technology
Authors: Damrah Sadeq , Satrovic Elma , Shawtari Fekri Ali
Published: October 2022

Progress in financial inclusion has played a major role in economic development and poverty reduction. However, the environmental impact of financial inclusion calls for urgent implementation of environmental strategies to mitigate climate change. Financial inclusion forces the policies of developed countries to advance and not affect the present and future development of developing countries. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate the direct effects of information and communication technology (ICT) usage on environment as well as its moderating role on the association between financial inclusion and environmental degradation for six oil exporting countries (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kuwait, Canada, and the United States), using annual panel data from 1995 to 2019. We also analyze the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) phenomenon for the entire sample, as well as the role of energy consumption and population. Employing the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) with fixed effects, this study supported the existence of EKC phenomenon here as linkage amid human development index and carbon intensity. We find that energy consumption significantly increases carbon intensity. The empirical results showed that the application of internet- and mobile use as indicators of ICT usage lead to environmental preservation in the six oil exporting economies. Also, we observe that financial inclusion has mitigating effects on pollutant emissions, contributing to environmental preservation. Interaction between ICT usage and financial inclusion jointly reduces carbon intensity in all quantile distributions. A robustness check using an alternative proxy of the financial inclusion also confirms that ICT usage significantly and negatively moderates the association between financial inclusion and carbon intensity. Based on the findings of this study, the selected oil exporting countries should integrate financial inclusion with environmental policies to reduce carbon intensity.
Research on the effects of digital inclusive finance on the efficiency of financial resource allocation
Authors: Fan Yaojun , Chen Sze Ting
Published: October 2022

With the rapid progress of digital technology, finance has also embarked on the fast lane of its development. Whether and how the development of digital inclusive finance can improve the efficiency of financial resource allocation have both been significant questions for the Chinese government to answer. This study adopted the super-efficiency DEA method to measure the allocation efficiency of regional financial resources in China, integrating with the Digital Inclusive Finance (DIF) index published by the Digital Finance Research Center of Peking University, to study the influences of Digital Inclusive Finance on the Financial Resource Allocation Efficiency (FRAE). After considering the spatial factors, we found that the development of DIF could significantly promote Financial Resource Allocation Efficiency mainly in three aspects of coverage, depth, and credit. Meanwhile, in the analysis of its mechanisms, we also discovered that DIF could promote FRAE through human capital and enterprise innovations. Finally, this study indicated that the differences in regions and overcapacity levels would also modify the influences of DIF on FRAE. The enlightenment from this study is that relevant government departments should actively promote the development of digital inclusive finance, thereby, not only improving the efficiency of financial resource allocation and the coordinated action between regions but also promoting the transformation and upgrade of economic development methods.
Intrapleural infusion of tumor cell-derived microparticles packaging methotrexate or saline combined with pemetrexed-cisplatin chemotherapy for the treatment of malignant pleural effusion in advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Dong Xiaorong , Huang Yu , Yi Tienan , Hu Chunhong , Gao Quanli , Chen Yuan , Zhang Jing , Chen Jianhua , Liu Li , Meng Rui , Zhang Sheng , Dai Xiaofang , Fei Shihong , Jin Yang , Yin Ping , Hu Yanping , Wu Gang
Published: October 2022

Background

Preclincal studies showed the promising efficacy of tumor cell-derived microparticles packaging methotrexate (TMPs-MTX) to treat advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with malignant pleural effusion (MPE).

Methods

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted at six hospitals in China from 20 July 2015 to 25 April 2019. Patients newly diagnosed with non-squamous NSCLC with MPE were randomly assigned to receive TMPs-MTX (group A) or saline (group B). Patients in both groups received pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 d1) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2 in total for d1-d2). Intrapleural infusion (50 mL saline containing 5 units of TMPs-MTX per perfusion, once every 48 hours, six total perfusions) was initiated on day 5 after pemetrexed-cisplatin chemotherapy. The primary outcome was the objective response rate (ORR) of MPE. Secondary outcomes included the ORR of target lesions, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), toxicity, and pleural fluid properties.

Results

A total of 86 patients were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to either group A or group B. Of these, 79 patients were evaluable for response. The ORR of MPE in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (82.50% vs. 58.97%, P = 0.0237). The ORR of target lesions was 25.64% in group A and 20.51% in group B (P = 0.5909), respectively. With a median follow-up time of 18.8 months, median PFS were 6.4 (95% CI, 4.5-12.3) months in group A and 7.3 (95% CI, 6.1-10.4) months in group B (P = 0.6893), and median OS were 19.9 (95% CI, 17.1-28.5) months and 17.5 (95% CI, 11.6-25.0) months (P = 0.4500), respectively. The incidence rates of adverse events were similar in the two groups. The most common treatment-related adverse events were chemotherapy-induced toxicities, including fever, gastrointestinal reactions, hepatic dysfunction, and leukopenia.

Conclusion

Intrapleural infusion of TMPs-MTX combined with pemetrexed-cisplatin chemotherapy is safe and effective against MPE in patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC.

Clinical trial registration

http://www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR-ICR-15006304).
Human innate lymphoid cell activation by adenoviruses is modified by host defense proteins and neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Paris Océane , Mennechet Franck J. D. , Kremer E. J.
Published: October 2022

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), the complements of diverse CD4 T helper cells, help maintain tissue homeostasis by providing a link between innate and adaptive immune responses. While pioneering studies over the last decade have advanced our understanding how ILCs influence adaptive immune responses to pathogens, far less is known about whether the adaptive immune response feeds back into an ILC response. In this study, we isolated ILCs from blood of healthy donors, fine-tuned culture conditions, and then directly challenged them with human adenoviruses (HAdVs), with HAdVs and host defense proteins (HDPs) or neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), to mimic interactions in a host with pre-existing immunity. Additionally, we developed anex vivoapproach to identify how bystander ILCs respond to the uptake of HAdVs ± neutralizing antibodies by monocyte-derived dendritic cells. We show that ILCs take up HAdVs, which induces phenotypic maturation and cytokine secretion. Moreover, NAbs and HDPs complexes modified the cytokine profile generated by ILCs, consistent with a feedback loop for host antiviral responses and potential to impact adenovirus-based vaccine efficacy.
Effect of acupuncture for disorders of consciousness in patients with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Huang Zhibin , Chen Yuning , Xiao Qilan , Kuang Weichuan , Liu Kun , Jiang Ye , Wen Xi , Qin Weiting , Liu Yue , Liu Tong
Published: October 2022

Background

Disorder of consciousness (DOC) is frequent in patients with stroke, which is the second most common cause of death and a leading cause of disability. Acupuncture has been used as a curative method for DOC treatment in China. Nevertheless, no critical systematic review of acupuncture's effect on DOC has been published. This review aims to evaluate the present evidence regarding the efficacy of acupuncture for DOC after stroke.

Methods

Seven databases were searched from their inception to November 1, 2021, containing three English databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and four Chinese databases (CNKI, CBM, VIP, and Wanfang Database). The primary outcomes comprise the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes involve resuscitation rate, resuscitation time, and adverse events. Data synthesis was calculated by RevMan (V.5.4.1) software. According to the Cochrane Handbook, methodological quality was assessed with the risk of bias tool 2.0 (RoB2).

Results

Seventeen studies containing 1,208 patients were eventually included in our review. Overall, most trials were rated as high or had some concerns regarding the risk of bias. GCS was reported in 16 trials, and a meta-analysis showed that GCS improvement in the acupuncture group was greater than in the non-acupuncture group (MD 1.45, 95% CI 0.94–1.97, P < 0.0001). One trial reported that GOS improvement in the acupuncture plus medication group was greater than in the medication group (MD 0.58, 95% CI 0.11–1.05, P = 0.01). Another study reported that acupuncture plus medication was statistically more effective in shortening resuscitation time than medication alone (MD−0.89, 95% CI −1.53 to −0.25, P = 0.006). Four trials reported that the resuscitation rate in the acupuncture group was higher than without acupuncture intervention (RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.30–2.18, I2 0%, P = 0.39). Adverse events were reported in two studies, with one case in the acupuncture group suffering from subcutaneous hematoma.

Conclusion

Acupuncture may improve consciousness level, increase the resuscitation rate, and shorten resuscitation time for post-stroke patients with DOC. Adverse events from acupuncture were rare, tolerable, and recoverable. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously, and more rigorous RCTs with better methodology are warranted.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=289802, identifier 289802.
Decreased locus coeruleus signal associated with Alzheimer’s disease based on neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging technique
Authors: Li Meng , Liu Shanwen , Zhu Hongqin , Guo Zhiwen , Zhi Yuqi , Liu Rong , Jiang Zhen , Liang Xiaoyun , Hu Hua , Zhu Jiangtao
Published: October 2022

Objective

Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) technique was used to detect the changes of the locus coeruleus (LC) signals in Alzheimer’s disease patients (AD), and to analyze its correlation with cognitive function.

Materials and methods

A total of 27 patients with AD, 15 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 25 healthy controls (HC) were examined by NM-MRI technique. ImageJ software was used to measure the LC signals. The locus coeruleus signal contrast ratios (LC-CRs) were calculated, along with the measurement of neuropsychological scales.

Results

The LC-CRs of AD patients were significantly different from that of HC (p = 0.007, 95% CI: −0.053∼−0.007). However, such significant differences were not observed between MCI and HC (p = 1.000, 95% CI: −0.030∼0.024), AD and MCI (p = 0.050, 95% CI: −0.054∼0.000). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was identified between LC-CRs and MMSE sub item Drawing (r = 0.484, p = 0.011) in the AD group, MoCA sub item Attention (r = 0.519, p = 0.047) in the MCI group. The area under the curve of LC-CRs in the diagnosis of AD was 0.749 (p = 0.002, 95% CI: 0.618∼0.880), with a sensitivity of 85.2% and a specificity of 56.0%.

Conclusion

The NM-MRI technique could quantify the pathological degenerations of the LC in AD. Such LC degenerations can be employed to distinguish AD from healthy elderly.
Neural activity during processing Chinese irony text: An event-related potential study
Authors: Shi Hanwen , Li Yutong
Published: October 2022

Objective

Irony as an indirect language with unpredictability consumes more cognitive resources, and is more difficult to understand than literal language. This study aims to explore the processing differences between irony and literal sentences using event-related potential (ERP) technology.

Materials and methods

Three types of sentences were involved: sentences with predictable literal meaning, sentences with unpredictable literal meaning, and sentences with ironic meaning. The neural responses of the subjects were recorded when they read sentences.

Results

Compared to predictable literal meaning sentences, unpredictable literal meaning sentences and ironic meaning sentences elicited larger amplitude of N400 components. The difference was not significant between the latter two. In addition, there was no significant difference in P600 evoked by the three sentences.

Conclusion

In the initial stage of irony processing, the low predictability may result in the difficulty in semantic comprehension, in which the processing patterns of unpredictable and ironic sentences are rather close. In the later stage of processing, ironic integration is not harder compared to literal sentence integration.
Case report: A case of severe acute hepatitis of unknown origin
Authors: Zhou Yu-Jiao , Gu Hui-Ying , Tang Qi-Qin , Li Fan , Zhu Jin , Ai Ting , Zhu Kun , Xu Bin-Yue , Wang Qing , Huang Ai-Long , Chen Juan , Zhang Zhen-Zhen
Published: October 2022

According to analyses of etiology, clinical features, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies by summarizing a case of unexplained acute hepatitis recently experienced, we are aiming to provide some information to enrich the clinical experience in diagnosis and treatment of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in young children. A boy, aged 10 years and 6 months old, was admitted to the hospital due to acute abdominal pain, jaundice, and exceptionally high levels of ALT and AST. A range of measures, including patient history, physical examination, and routine laboratory testing, were performed. Furthermore, strategies such as trio-based next-generation sequencing (Trio-NGS) and liver biopsy, as well as metagenomic NGS (mNGS) of blood and liver samples were also performed. In summary, this case was an acute severe non-A–E hepatitis that is a probable case with hepatitis of unknown origin. Immunohistochemical analysis showed an immune injury in liver tissues. Torque teno virus (TTV) sequences were detected by mNGS assay. As for treatment strategies, in addition to general treatment, this patient also underwent plasmapheresis and methylprednisolone treatment due to disease deterioration. The patient’s liver function was improved afterward and discharged after one month of treatment. Taken together, this work reported the clinical feature and treatment of severe acute hepatitis with non-A–E hepatitis in detail. The potential mechanism of liver damage might be due to an immune attack in which TTV might play a role as a co-factor.
Effects of perceptual-cognitive tasks on inter-joint coordination of soccer players and ordinary college students
Authors: Ren Yuanyuan , Wang Cenyi , Lu Aming
Published: October 2022

Perceptual-cognitive tasks play a pivotal role in performing voluntary movements, which is crucial for good performances among soccer players. This study explored the effect of perceptual-cognitive tasks on the inter-joint coordination of soccer players and college students during landing. The classic multiple objective tracking (MOT) task was used to simulate the perceptual-cognitive task under a sports environment. Fifteen soccer players (age: 20.1 ± 1.5 year, height: 181.4 ± 7.4 cm, weight: 75.4 ± 10.7 kg) and twenty ordinary college students (age: 20.0 ± 2.3 years, height: 177.9 ± 4.9 cm, weight: 71.6 ± 9.9 kg) were enrolled to the study. Participants in the two groups were subjected to a single task (landing task) and dual-task (MOT task and landing task). Coordination and variability indicators were recorded using a Vicon infrared motion capture system and a force measuring platform. The results showed that the mean absolute relative phase of hip and knee joint (MARPhip-knee), deviation phase of hip and knee joint (DPhip-knee), and deviation phase of knee and ankle joint (DPknee-ankle) of the two groups under the dual-task were significantly different compared with the parameters when participants were subjected to the single task. The dual-task had higher effect size on DPhip-Knee and MARPhip-knee, indicating that dual-task had a greater impact on coordination of the hip and knee joints. DPhip-knee and DPknee-ankle of ordinary students were more extensive relative to those of the soccer players, and hip joint stiffness (Khip) for ordinary students was lower than that of the soccer players under the different tasks. These findings implied that the perceptual-cognitive task markedly affected the inter-joint coordination of soccer players and college students, mainly by impairing the hip and knee coordination. Although there is less variability in lower extremity coordination patterns of soccer players compared to college students, the MOT task still affects their coordination ability.
Prevalence, knowledge and attitude toward electronic cigarette use among male health colleges students in Saudi Arabia—A cross-sectional study
Authors: Alsanea Sary , Alrabiah Ziyad , Samreen Sana , Syed Wajid , Bin Khunayn Rawan M. , Al-Arifi Nasser M. , Alenazi Miteb , Alghadeer Sultan , Alhossan Abdulaziz , Alwhaibi Abdulrahman , Al-Arifi Mohamed N.
Published: October 2022

Background

Health care professionals have an important role in increasing awareness about smoking harms and serving as role models. This study aims to assess knowledge, attitude and perception toward electronic cigarettes (ECs) as well as prevalence of ECs use among male health colleges students.

Method

This is a cross-sectional survey-based study conducted among students in the male campus of five different health colleges over a 4-month period from February 2020 to May 2020. Descriptive analysis was used to assess the knowledge, perception and attitude, and inferential testing was used to evaluate the association of different participant's variables and knowledge toward ECs usage using SPSS.

Results

A total of 333 students were included in the analysis. Most of students (n = 205; 61.6%) had never used ECs, while 22.8 and 15.6% used them for recreational and smoking cessation purposes, respectively. Focusing on ECs users from each college individually, medical students had the highest prevalence followed by dental, pharmacy and nursing students (47.4, 40.7, 34.5, and 32%, respectively). Many students had misconceptions and a low level of knowledge about ECs, such as recognizing them as smoking-cessation tools and not knowing whether toxic and carcinogenic components levels in ECs are similar to conventional cigarettes, respectively. Medical students had significantly higher knowledge compared to dental students [3 (2) vs. 2 (1); p = 0.033]. Moreover, smokers were less knowledgeable than non-smokers [2.5 (1) vs. 2.1 (1), p = 0.027]. At least 62.8% of students perceived using ECs as a fashionable alternative smoking method and 59.2% believed that they may become a gateway for smoking addiction. Only 120 (36.0%) health colleges students were confidently able to advise smokers regarding ECs.

Conclusion

Our study highlights an increased trend of ECs use accompanied with insufficient knowledge and several misconceptions about ECs among health colleges students. This was associated with a negative influence on their attitude toward ECs use, which would potentially lead to negative consequences on public health.
Body mass index and quality of life in individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome: Dysmorphic concerns and eating disorders as mediators
Authors: Barberis Nadia , Calaresi Danilo , Cannavò Marco , Verrastro Valeria
Published: October 2022

Objective

Weight issues, dysmorphic concerns and eating disorders are common among individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and are linked to poor quality of life (QoL). The goal of the current study was to examine whether the association between body mass index (BMI) and QoL was mediated by dysmorphic concerns, examining also the relations with eating disorder symptomatology.

Methods

Questionnaires were administered to 435 individuals with PCOS aged between 18 and 40 years (M = 27.62; SD = 4.83) to measure dysmorphic concerns, eating disorder symptoms and QoL. Participants were also asked to report their height and weight to compute their BMI.

Results

Structural equation modeling was used to observe the relationship between the variables. The results revealed a direct relationship between QoL, BMI, dysmorphic concerns and eating disorder symptomatology. In addition, dysmorphic concerns were related to BMI and eating disorder symptomatology. Furthermore, the results showed the mediating role of dysmorphic concerns and eating disorder symptoms in the relationship between BMI and QoL.

Conclusion

The current results highlight the potential importance of harmful relationships with one's own body and food, explaining why weight issues may be linked to different levels of QoL in PCOS individuals. The implications of these findings are discussed.
EGFR T790M Mutation Detection in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer After First Line EGFR TKI Therapy: Summary of Results in a Three-Year Period and a Comparison of Commercially Available Detection Kits
Authors: Bencze Eszter , Bogos Krisztina , Kohánka Andrea , Báthory-Fülöp László , Sárosi Veronika , Csernák Erzsébet , Bittner Nóra , Melegh Zsombor , Tóth Erika
Published: October 2022

EGFR mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) offers a potential therapeutic target for tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. The majority of these cases, however eventually develop therapy resistance, mainly by acquiring EGFR T790M mutation. Recently, third-generation TKIs have been introduced to overcome T790M mutation-related resistance. Cell free circulating tumor DNA (liquid biopsy) has emerged as a valuable alternative method for T790M mutation detection during patient follow up, when a tissue biopsy cannot be obtained for analysis. In this study, we summarized our experience with Super-ARMS EGFR Mutation Detection Kit (AmoyDx) on 401 samples of 242 NSCLC patients in a 3-year period in Hungary, comprising 364 plasma and 37 non-plasma samples. We also compared the performance of two commercially available detection kits, the cobas EGFR Mutation test v2 (Roche) and the Super-ARMS EGFR Mutation Detection Kit (AmoyDx). The same activating EGFR mutation was detected with the AmoyDx kit as in the primary tumor in 45.6% of the samples. T790M mutation was identified in 48.1% of the samples containing activating EGFR mutation. The detection rate of T790M mutation was not dependent on the DNA concentration of the plasma sample and there was no considerable improvement in mutation detection rate after a second, subsequent plasma sample. The concordance of EGFR activating mutation detection was 89% between the two methods, while this was 93% for T790M mutation detection. The AmoyDx kit, however showed an overall higher detection rate of T790M mutation compared to the cobas kit (p = 0.014). T790M mutation was detected at 29.8% of the patients if only plasma samples were available for analysis, while the detection rate was 70.2% in non-plasma samples. If the activating EGFR was detected in the plasma samples, the detection rate of T790M mutation was 42.4%. Although non-plasma samples provided a superior T790M mutation detection rate, we found that liquid biopsy can offer a valuable tool for T790M mutation detection, when a tissue biopsy is not available. Alternatively, a liquid biopsy can be used as a screening test, when re-biopsy should be considered in case of wild-type results.
The Feeding of Juvenile Grooved Tiger Prawns Penaeus semisulcatus in a Tropical Australian Estuary: A Comparison of Diets in Intertidal Seagrass and Subtidal Algal Beds
Authors:   CSIRO Marine Division PO Box 120, Cleveland, Qld 4163 Australia, HEALES D.S.
Published: October 2022

Diets of both newly settled (2 to 4.9 mm carapace length) and larger pre-emigrating (5 to 10 mm carapace length) juvenile grooved tiger prawns, Penaeus semisulcatus, from two entirely different nursery areas were compared. One site was a subtidal algal bed (Cauleurpa spp) inside a narrow mangrove-lined creek, while the other was a wide intertidal seagrass bed (Enhalus acoroides) on a straight shoreline in a medium size estuary. Both the newly settled and larger prawns consumed a similar range of prey categories in the two nursery areas. Similar high frequency of occurrence of common dietary items (copepods, diatoms and filamentous algae), were found in both sites. For the small prawns, 13 of the 21 prey categories recorded were common in both sites; while 14 of the 21 prey categories were common in the larger prawns. The small prawns had a lower frequency of occurrence than the larger prawns for most of the prey categories, particularly decapod crustaceans, suggesting a restricted diet for the small juveniles. One common prey item at the seagrass site, an insect larva, was not recorded in the algal site.
Recovery of Multiple Drug Resistant Pseudomonads Associated with an Ulcerative Condition in an Airbreathing Murrel, Channa gachua Bl.
Authors:   Section of Genetics Department of Zoology Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh-202 002, India, NABI N.
Published: October 2022

Three species of Pseudomonas namely P. aeruginosa, P. putida and P. stuzeri were isolated from the sera, kidneys and livers of Channa gachua (Bloch) suffering from an ulcerative condition. Involvement of P. stuzeri in the ulcerative condition of fish is being reported for the first time. All the strains showed resistance to 11 out of the 15 drugs monitored in the present case, whereas P. stuzeri exhibited additional resistance to cotrimoxazole. Agarose gel electrophoresis against the control obtained by curing with sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed that all three species harboured plasmids which transformed susceptible Escherichia coli HB101 host. Transformation experiments demonstrated that except resistance to cotrimoxazole and ceftimaxazole all the others were plasmid-borne. Sensitivity to gentamycin, chloramphenicol and cefotaxime was also exhibited in each strain. Upon challenging the host using pure cultures of either strain, only symptoms of erythema and skin aberrations could be observed, while mixed culture of all the three induced moderate ulcers. On the basis of review of already published evidence, C. gachua may be considered as a host of exceptional endurance to ulcerative condition.
Genetic Evaluation of GIFT and Existing Strains of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L., Under On-Station and On-Farm Conditions in Bangladesh
Authors:   Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute Mymensingh 2201 Bangladesh, HUSSAIN M.G.
Published: October 2022

Comparative production performances of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) and existing Nile, Oreochromis niloticus L. strains were assessed in five test environments (nursery systems, cisterns, hapas, net cages, and grow-out ponds) and six multi-locational sites (Trishal, Chandina, Manikganj, Paikgacha, Jessore Sadar, and Mithapukur) under on-station and on-farm conditions in Bangladesh. The mean weight gains at harvest of the GIFT strain was significantly higher (40-57%) than the existing Nile tilapia strain in all the trials.
Population Dynamics of Penaeus semisulcatus in the Gulf of Suez, Egypt
Authors:   National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries P.O. Box 182 Suez, Egypt, MEHANNA S.F.
Published: October 2022

Monthly length frequency data of Penaeus semisulcatus were analyzed to determine the age, growth, mortality rates and yield per recruit. The maximum life span of P. semisulcatus was found to be 15 months for males and 18 months for females. The asymptotic total length was estimated to be 22.4 cm for males and 26.8 cm for females. The growth parameter K was calculated as 1.77year-1 for males and 1.56 year-1 for females. The total mortality coefficient Z, was estimated to be 8.18 for males and 6.77 for females. The natural mortality coefficient was estimated to be 2.52 for males and 2.40 for females. Yield per recruit (Y/R) analysis indicated that a high value of Y/R can be obtained at high values of fishing mortality but this may not be biologically appropriate.
AFLP Fingerprinting Reveals Genetic Variability in Common Carp Stocks from Indonesia
Authors:   Aquaculture Department Jimei University Xiamen 361021, China, WANG Z.
Published: October 2022

Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting was used to detect genetic variability in two stocks of common carps (Majalaya carp and Sinyonya carp) and second generation gynogens derived from the Majalaya carp. Primer combinations, E-AAC/M-CAA, EAGG/M-CAC and E-ACC/M-CTT yielded 299 selectively amplified loci of which 66.2% were polymorphic. Maximum polymorphism was evident in the Majalaya carp and minimum among the gynogens. Four types of AFLP bands which were useful to differentiate the stocks in question were identified. Band Sharing Index (BSI) matrix was generated from the band binary value sets. Maximum average BSI was exhibited by the gynogens and minimum by the Majalaya carp. Inter-stock comparisons showed the gynogens to be closest to the Majalaya and farthest from the Sinyonya stock
Modeling Thermal Stratification in Aquaculture Ponds
Authors:   Bio-systems Engineering Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-6120 USA, ZHU S.
Published: October 2022

A stratification model was developed for the simulation of the temporal and spatial variation of temperature in aquaculture ponds. A new parameter, called the fish turbulent diffusivity, was incorporated in the equation to calculate the diffusion coefficient in this study. A simple, fast, yet robust numerical method was used to solve the equations of the model. The model, programmed in FORTRAN under the frame of the TRNSYS software, was implemented on a microcomputer. Simulation indicated that the fish turbulent diffusivity was important to the heat transfer estimation in aquaculture ponds. The model was tested using temperatures collected from two ponds in the suburbs of Beijing. The determination coefficient between the calculated and measured temperatures was about 0.90, while the standard deviation was about 0.2°C. The model is useful to better understand the evolution of thermal stratification and the process of heat energy and mass transfers in aquaculture ponds.
Biochemical Composition of Epidermal Secretions and Poisonous Spine of Two Freshwater Catfishes
Authors:   Department of Zoology Kakatiya University Warangal – 506 009 India, VENKAIAH Y. , LAKSHMIPATHI V.
Published: October 2022

Biochemical composition of epidermal secretions and poisonous spine extracts of two freshwater catfishes, Heteropneustes fossilis and Clarias batrachus were estimated. Protein patterns of the two tissue extracts were compared using SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein content of epidermal secretions is higher than those of poisonous spine; In H. fossilis the difference is about 1.8 folds, but in C. batrachus, it is about 8 folds. Lipids of epidermal secretions in H. fossilis are about 2.8 folds higher than those of the poisonous spine. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble peptides, ninhydrin positive substances show significant variation between the two tissues of C. batrachus but not in H. fossilis. The electrophoretic patterns exhibit more number of protein bands in the extracts of poisonous spine than those of epidermal secretions.