bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of arm-crank exercise on cardiovascular function, functional capacity, cognition and quality of life in patients with peripheral artery disease: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kanegusuku Hélcio , Correia Marília Almeida , Longano Paulo , Ritti-Dias Raphael Mendes , Wolosker Nelson , Cucato Gabriel Grizzo
Published: May 2022

Background

Arm-crank exercise training (ACT) is an alternative exercise strategy for patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) due to the attenuation of pain symptoms during the exercise, as well as the benefits to functional capacity.

Purpose

The aim of this study is to describe the study protocol to analyze the effects of ACT exercise on cardiovascular function, functional capacity, cognition and quality of life in patients with symptomatic PAD.

Methods

This is a three-armed randomized, prospective, single-blind data collection, single-center, controlled study enrolling 45 patients with symptomatic PAD who will be randomized into 3 intervention groups: walking training (WT), ACT and control group. The WT and ACT will perform 2 sessions/week, 15 to 10 sets of 2 to 5 minutes at values of 13 to 15 on the Borg scale. Before and after 12 weeks of intervention, cardiovascular function (ambulatory blood pressure, office blood pressure, central blood pressure, heart rate variability, arterial stiffness and vascular function), functional capacity (six-minute walk test, 2 minute step test, handgrip test, Walking impairment questionnaire, Walking estimated limitation calculated by history, Baltimore activity scale for intermittent claudication, and short physical performance battery), cognition (executive function and memory), and quality of life (vascular quality of life questionnaire and World Health Organization Quality of Life) will be assessed.

Results

This is the first trial to evaluate the effects of ACT on regulatory mechanisms of the cardiovascular system in PAD patients. If the results are as expected, they will provide evidence the ability of ACT to promote cardiovascular benefits in the symptomatic PAD population.
Diagnostic accuracy of the lumbar spinal stenosis-diagnosis support tool and the lumbar spinal stenosis-self-administered, self-reported history questionnaire
Authors: Tominaga Ryoji , Kurita Noriaki , Sekiguchi Miho , Yonemoto Koji , Kakuma Tatsuyuki , Konno Shin-ichi
Published: May 2022

Despite the applicability of the lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS)-diagnosis support tool (DST) and the LSS-self-administered, self-reported history questionnaire (SSHQ), their diagnostic accuracy has never been compared with that of the well-known North American Spine Society (NASS) clinical description of LSS. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the two diagnostic tools with that of the NASS guidelines’ clinical description of LSS in a Japanese secondary care hospital setting. This multicenter cross-sectional study used data from the lumbar spinal stenosis diagnostic support tool (DISTO) project, which was conducted from December 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012. Japanese adults with low back pain (LBP) aged ≥20 years were consecutively included. The reference standard was LSS diagnosed by orthopedic physicians. The diagnostic accuracy of the two support tools was compared. Of 3,331 patients, 1,416 (42.5%) patients were diagnosed with LSS. The NASS clinical description of LSS had a sensitivity of 63.9% and specificity of 89.5%. The LSS-DST and LSS-SSHQ had sensitivities of 91.3% and 83.8% and specificities of 76.0% and 57.6%, respectively, with substantial improvements in sensitivity (P < 0.0001). Similar results were obtained when we limited included patients to those aged >60 years. These findings indicated that the LSS-DST and LSS-SSHQ were more sensitive in screening patients with LBP for a diagnosis of LSS than the NASS clinical description of LSS. This study strongly supports prioritizing the use of either of these two diagnostic support tools for screening.
Multi-center prospective population pharmacokinetic study and the performance of web-based individual dose optimization application of intravenous vancomycin for adults in Hong Kong: A study protocol
Authors: Hui Ka Ho Matthew , Lui Chung Yan Grace , Wu Ka Lun Alan , Chen Jason , Cheung Yin Ting , Lam Tai Ning Teddy
Published: May 2022

A recent consensus guideline recommends migrating the therapeutic drug monitoring practice for intravenous vancomycin for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection from the traditional trough-based approach to the Bayesian approach based on area under curve to improve clinical outcomes. To support the implementation of the new strategy for hospitals under Hospital Authority, Hong Kong, this study is being proposed to (1) estimate and validate a population pharmacokinetic model of intravenous vancomycin for local adults, (2) develop a web-based individual dose optimization application for clinical use, and (3) evaluate the performance of the application by comparing the treatment outcomes and clinical satisfaction against the traditional approach. 300 adult subjects prescribed with intravenous vancomycin and not on renal replacement therapy will be recruited for population pharmacokinetic model development and validation. Sex, age, body weight, serum creatinine level, intravenous vancomycin dosing records, serum vancomycin concentrations etc. will be collected from several electronic health record systems maintained by Hospital Authority. Parameter estimation will be performed using non-linear mixed-effect modeling techniques. The web-based individual dose optimization application is based on a previously reported application and is built using R and the package shiny. Data from another 50 subjects will be collected during the last three months of the study period and treated as informed by the developed application and compared against historical control for clinical outcomes. Since the study will incur extra blood-taking procedures from patients, informed consent is required. Other than that, recruited subjects should receive medical treatments as usual. Identifiable patient data will be available only to site investigators and clinicians in each hospital. The study protocol and informed consent forms have been approved by the Joint Chinese University of Hong Kong–New Territories East Cluster Clinical Research Ethics Committee (reference number: NTEC-2021-0215) and registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR2100048714).
Health insurance status and its determinants among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia
Authors: Al-Sanaani Essam Ali , Ismail Aniza , Abdul Manaf Mohd Rizal , Suddin Leny Suzana , Mustafa Norlaila , Sukor Norlela , Alabed Alabed Ali A. , Alkhodary Ahmed Abdelmajed , Aljunid Syed Mohamed
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Even in a country with a tax-based healthcare financing system, health insurance can play an important role, especially in the management of chronic diseases with high disease and economic burden such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The insurance coverage among T2DM patients in Malaysia is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the insurance status of T2DM patients in public and private healthcare facilities in Malaysia, and the association between this status and patients’ sociodemographic and economic factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional study among T2DM patients seeking inpatient or outpatient treatment at a public tertiary hospital (Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz) and a private tertiary hospital (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Specialist Centre) in Kuala Lumpur between August 2019 and March 2020. Patients were identified via convenience sampling using a self-administered questionnaire. Data collection focused on identifying insurance status as the dependent factor while the independent factors were the patients’ sociodemographic characteristics and economic factors.

Results

Of 400 T2DM patients, 313 responded (response rate, 78.3%) and 76.0% were uninsured. About 69.6% of the respondents had low monthly incomes of <RM5000. Two-thirds of participants (59.1%) spent RM100–500 for outpatient visits whilst 58.5% spent <RM100 on medicines per month (RM1 = USD0.244). Patients who visited a private facility had five times more likely to have insurance than patients who visited a public facility. Participants aged 18–49 years with higher education levels were 4.8 times more likely to be insured than participants aged ≥50 years with low education levels (2 times).

Conclusions

The majority of T2DM patients were uninsured. The main factors determining health insurance status were public facilities, age of ≥ 50 years, low education level, unemployment, and monthly expenditure on medicines.
Asymptotically local synchronization in interdependent networks with unidirectional interlinks
Authors: Gao Zilin , Luo Weimin , Shen Aizhong
Published: May 2022

Synchronization in complex networks has been investigated for decades. Due to the particularity of the interlinks between networks, the synchronization in interdependent networks has received increasing interest. Since the interlinks are not always symmetric in interdependent networks, we focus on the synchronization in unidirectional interdependent networks to study the control scheme. The mathematical model is put forward and some factors are taken into consideration, such as different coupling functions and strengths. Firstly, the feasibility of the control scheme is proved theoretically by using Lyapunov stability theory and verified by simulations. Then, we find that the synchronization could be maintained in one sub-network by utilizing our control scheme while the nodes in the other sub-network are in chaos. The result indicates that the influence of interlinks can be decreased and the proposed scheme can guarantee the synchronization in one sub-network at least. Moreover, we also discuss the robust of our control scheme against the cascading failure. The scheme is verified by simulations to be effective while the disturbances occur.
A multi-attack intrusion detection model based on Mosaic coded convolutional neural network and centralized encoding
Authors: Hu Rong , Wu Zhongying , Xu Yong , Lai Taotao , Xia Canyu
Published: May 2022

With the development of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), attacks to the vehicle-mounted control area network (CAN) have seriously jeopardized the security of automobiles. As an important security measure, intrusion detection technologies have aroused great interest in researchers and many detection methods have also been proposed based on the vehicle’s CAN bus. However, many studies only considered one type of attack at a time but in real environments there may contain a variety of attack types simultaneously. In view of the deficiency in the current methods, this paper proposed a method to detect multi-intrusions at one time based on a Mosaic coded convolutional neural network (CNN) and a centralized coding method. A Mosaic-like data block was created to convert the one-dimensional CAN ID into a two-dimensional data grid for the CNN to effectively extract the data characteristics and maintain the time characteristics between the CAN IDs. Four types of attacks and all combinations of them were used to train and test our model. Finally, a centralized coding method was used to increase the discrimination capability of the model. Experimental results showed that this single model could successfully detect any combinations of the intrusion types with very high and stable performance.
Predictive models in SMA II natural history trajectories using machine learning: A proof of concept study
Authors: Coratti Giorgia , Lenkowicz Jacopo , Patarnello Stefano , Gullì Consolato , Pera Maria Carmela , Masciocchi Carlotta , Rinaldi Riccardo , Lovato Valeria , Leone Antonio , Cesario Alfredo , Mercuri Eugenio
Published: May 2022

It is known from previous literature that type II Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients generally, after the age of 5 years, presents a steep deterioration until puberty followed by a relative stability, as most abilities have been lost. Although it is possible to identify points of slope indicating early improvement, steep decline and relative stabilizations, there is still a lot of variability within each age group and it’s not always possible to predict individual trajectories of progression from age only. The aim of the study was to develop a predictive model based on machine learning using an XGBoost algorithm for regression and report, explore and quantify, in a single centre longitudinal natural history study, the influence of clinical variables on the 6/12-months Hammersmith Motor Functional Scale Expanded score prediction (HFMSE). This study represents the first approach to artificial intelligence and trained models for the prediction of individualized trajectories of HFMSE disease progression using individual characteristics of the patient. The application of this method to larger cohorts may allow to identify different classes of progression, a crucial information at the time of the new commercially available therapies.
Rapid, label-free pathogen identification system for multidrug-resistant bacterial wound infection detection on military members in the battlefield
Authors: Chen Ying , Chau Julie , Yoon Jung , Hladky Jeanne
Published: May 2022

US military service members experiencing combat-related wounds have higher risk of infection by multidrug-resistant bacteria. The gold standard culture-based antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is not feasible in the battlefield environment. Thus, a rapid deployable system for bacteria identification and AST directly from wound sample is urgently needed. We report the potential of a Rapid, Label-free Pathogen Identification (RAPID) diagnostic system based on ATR-FTIR method to detect and distinguish multi-drug resistant strains for six different species in the ESKAPEE group. Our RAPID system combines sample processing on-broad to isolate and enrich bacteria cells from wound sample, ATR-FTIR measurement to detect antimicrobial-induced bacterial cell spectral changes, and machine learning model for automated, objective, and quantitative spectral analysis and unknown sample classification. Based on experimental results, our RAPID system is a promising technology for label-free, sensitive (104 cfu/mL from mixture), species-specific (> 95% accuracy), rapid (< 10 min for identification, ~ 4 hours for AST) bacteria detection directly from wound samples.
Breast cancer histopathological images classification based on deep semantic features and gray level co-occurrence matrix
Authors: Hao Yan , Zhang Li , Qiao Shichang , Bai Yanping , Cheng Rong , Xue Hongxin , Hou Yuchao , Zhang Wendong , Zhang Guojun
Published: May 2022

Breast cancer is regarded as the leading killer of women today. The early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is the key to improving the survival rate of patients. A method of breast cancer histopathological images recognition based on deep semantic features and gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) features is proposed in this paper. Taking the pre-trained DenseNet201 as the basic model, part of the convolutional layer features of the last dense block are extracted as the deep semantic features, which are then fused with the three-channel GLCM features, and the support vector machine (SVM) is used for classification. For the BreaKHis dataset, we explore the classification problems of magnification specific binary (MSB) classification and magnification independent binary (MIB) classification, and compared the performance with the seven baseline models of AlexNet, VGG16, ResNet50, GoogLeNet, DenseNet201, SqueezeNet and Inception-ResNet-V2. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper performs better than the pre-trained baseline models in MSB and MIB classification problems. The highest image-level recognition accuracy of 40×, 100×, 200×, 400× is 96.75%, 95.21%, 96.57%, and 93.15%, respectively. And the highest patient-level recognition accuracy of the four magnifications is 96.33%, 95.26%, 96.09%, and 92.99%, respectively. The image-level and patient-level recognition accuracy for MIB classification is 95.56% and 95.54%, respectively. In addition, the recognition accuracy of the method in this paper is comparable to some state-of-the-art methods.
Cultural adaptation, translation and validation of the Spanish version Debriefing Experience Scale
Authors: Farrés-Tarafa Mariona , Julian David Bande , Lorenzo-Seva Urbano , Hurtado-Pardos Barbara , Raurell-Torredà Marta , Casas Irma , Carballedo-Pulido Jaime , Roldán-Merino Juan
Published: May 2022

Clinical simulation as a teaching methodology allows the student to train and learn technical abilities and/or non-technical abilities. One of the key elements of this teaching methodology is the debriefing, which consists of a conversation between several people, in which the participants go over a real or simulated event in order to analyze their actions and reflect on the role that thought processes, psychomotor skills and emotional states can play in maintaining, or improving their performance in the future. The Debriefing Experience Scale allows the experience of students in debriefing to be measured. The objective of this study is to translate the Debriefing Experience Scale (DES) into Spanish and analyze its reliability and validity to measure the experience of nursing students during the debriefing. The study was developed in two phases: One: the adaption of the instrument to Spanish, two: a transversal study carried out in a sample of 290 nursing students. The psychometric properties were analyzed in terms of reliability and construct validity using confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA). Cronbach’s alpha was adequate for all the scales and for each one of the dimensions. The confirmatory factorial analysis showed that the 4-dimensional model is acceptable for both scales (experience and opinion). The Spanish version Debriefing Experience Scale questionnaire is useful, valid and reliable for use to measure the debriefing experience of university students in a simulation activity.
Application of two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis to identify protein changes between center, margin, and adjacent non-tumor tissues obtained from non-small-cell lung cancer with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma subtype
Authors: Ciereszko Andrzej , Dietrich Mariola A. , Słowińska Mariola , Nynca Joanna , Ciborowski Michał , Kaczmarek Monika M. , Myszczyński Kamil , Kiśluk Joanna , Majewska Anna , Michalska-Falkowska Anna , Kodzik Natalia , Reszeć Joanna , Sierko Ewa , Nikliński Jacek
Published: May 2022

Lung cancer is responsible for the most cancer-related mortality worldwide and the mechanism of its development is poorly understood. Proteomics has become a powerful tool offering vital knowledge related to cancer development. Using a two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) approach, we sought to compare tissue samples from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients taken from the tumor center and tumor margin. Two subtypes of NSCLC, adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were compared. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD032736 and PXD032962 for ADC and SCC, respectively. For ADC proteins, 26 significant canonical pathways were identified, including Rho signaling pathways, a semaphorin neuronal repulsive signaling pathway, and epithelial adherens junction signaling. For SCC proteins, nine significant canonical pathways were identified, including hypoxia-inducible factor-1α signaling, thyroid hormone biosynthesis, and phagosome maturation. Proteins differentiating the tumor center and tumor margin were linked to cancer invasion and progression, including cell migration, adhesion and invasion, cytoskeletal structure, protein folding, anaerobic metabolism, tumor angiogenesis, EMC transition, epithelial adherens junctions, and inflammatory responses. In conclusion, we identified several proteins that are important for the better characterization of tumor development and molecular specificity of both lung cancer subtypes. We also identified proteins that may be important as biomarkers and/or targets for anticancer therapy.
Aortoiliac diameter and length in a healthy cohort
Authors: Kim Hyangkyoung , Kwon Tae-Won , Choi Eol , Jeong Seonjeong , Kim Hong-Kyu , Han Youngjin , Cho Yong-Pil , Yoon Hyun-Ki , Choe Jaewon , Kim Won Hong
Published: May 2022

Objective

Diameter is currently the only screening and diagnostic criterion for asymptomatic aneurysms. Therefore, aortic and lower-extremity arterial diameter has diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic importance. We aimed to determine aortic and lower-extremity arterial reference diameters in a general population and compare them according to age, sex, and other characteristics.

Methods

We evaluated consecutive 3,692 patients who underwent computed tomography as part of a general health checkup from 2015–2019 in a single tertiary center. Aortic and lower-extremity arterial diameters and the most important factor related to arterial diameters were evaluated.

Results

The mean diameter of the abdominal aorta was 17.490 ± 2.110 mm, while that of the common iliac artery was 10.851 ± 1.689 mm. The mean diameter of the abdominal aorta was 18.377 ± 1.766 mm in men and 15.884 ± 1.694 mm in women. Significant intersex differences were observed for all mean diameters and lengths. Multilinear regression analysis showed that age, sex, and body surface area impacted mean diameters of all measured sites except aorta and common iliac artery length. Between male and female patients matched for body surface area, there were significant intersex differences for all measured sites, except for common iliac artery length.

Conclusions

The mean diameter of the abdominal aorta in this healthy cohort was 17.490 ± 2.110 mm overall, 18.377 ± 1.766 mm in men, and 15.884 ± 1.694 mm in women. Arterial diameter increased with male sex, older age, and increased body surface area, and aortic diameters were larger in men than in women with the same body surface area.
Prevalence of infantile wheezing and eczema in a metropolitan city in Japan: A complete census survey
Authors: Futamura Masaki , Hiramitsu Yoshimichi , Kamioka Naomi , Yamaguchi Chikae , Umemura Harue , Nakanishi Rieko , Sugiura Shiro , Kondo Yasuto , Ito Komei
Published: May 2022

Infantile wheezing and eczema are associated with the subsequent onset of asthma and other atopic diseases. However, there are no large population-based surveys on infantile allergic symptoms in Japan. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of wheezing and asthma in infants in Nagoya, Japan. This population-based cross-sectional study was performed in the metropolitan city of Nagoya, Japan. We surveyed parents to ascertain the prevalence of wheezing and eczema in infants who attended group health checkups at 3, 18, and 36 months of age. Their parents completed modified questionnaires from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. More than 90% of the approximately 40,000 children in each study group living in the target area were included in the survey. The prevalence of wheezing was 8%, 17%, and 13% at 3, 18, and 36 months, respectively, and was characterized by birth season. The prevalence of eczema was 24%, 30%, and 31%, at 3, 18, and 36 months, respectively. Participants born in autumn and winter had a higher incidence of eczema in each age group. Three-quarters of the children had a parental history of allergic conditions. Parental allergic diseases and male gender are risk factors for wheezing and eczema in children. This survey had a high response rate and covered almost the entire population of the target age groups in a large city. We believe that the results of this study, therefore, provide a much higher level of confidence regarding the prevalence of allergies in infants in Japan than that in previous studies with limited cohorts.
Assessment of a viral load result-triggered automated differentiated service delivery model for people taking ART in Lesotho (the VITAL study): Study protocol of a cluster-randomized trial
Authors: Tschumi Nadine , Lerotholi Malebanye , Kopo Mathebe , Kao Mpho , Lukau Blaise , Nsakala Bienvenu , Chejane Ntoiseng , Motaboli Lipontso , Lee Tristan , Barnabas Ruanne , Shapiro Adrienne E. , van Heerden Alastair , Lejone Thabo I. , Amstutz Alain , Brown Jennifer A. , Heitner Jesse , Belus Jennifer M. , Chammartin Frédérique , Labhardt Niklaus D.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

To sustainably provide good quality care to increasing numbers of people living with HIV (PLHIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-limited settings, care delivery must shift from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to differentiated service delivery models. Such models should reallocate resources from PLHIV who are doing well to groups of PLHIV who may need more attention, such as those with treatment failure. The VIral load Triggered ART care Lesotho (VITAL) trial assesses a viral load (VL)-, participant’s preference-informed, electronic health (eHealth)-supported, automated differentiated service delivery model (VITAL model). With VITAL, we aim to assess if the VITAL model is at least non-inferior to the standard of care in the proportion of participants engaged in care with viral suppression at 24 months follow-up and if it is cost-saving.

Methods

The VITAL trial is a pragmatic, multicenter, cluster-randomized, non-blinded, non-inferiority trial with 1:1 allocation conducted at 18 nurse-led, rural health facilities in two districts of northern Lesotho, enrolling adult PLHIV taking ART. In intervention clinics, providers are trained to implement the VITAL model and are guided by a clinical decision support tool, the VITALapp. VITAL differentiates care according to VL results, clinical characteristics, sub-population and participants’ and health care providers’ preferences.

Expected outcomes

Evidence on the effect of differentiated service delivery for PLHIV on treatment outcomes is still limited. This pragmatic cluster-randomized trial will assess if the VITAL model is at least non-inferior to the standard of care and if it is cost saving.

Trial registration

The study has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (Registration number NCT04527874; August 27, 2020).
Relationship between emotional labor and sense of career success among community nurses in China, Beijing: A cross-sectional study based on latent class analysis
Authors: Han Fengping , Li Aihua , Zhang Dongmei , Lv Lanting , Li Qian , Sun Jing
Published: May 2022

Background

This study investigated different patterns of emotional labor among community nurses in China and analyzed the relationships between the sense of career success and emotional labor.

Methods

A total of 385 community nurses from Beijing participated in this investigation. Latent class analysis was used to identify meaningful subgroups of participants, and analysis of variance was used to analyze relationships between emotional labor classes and the sense of career success.

Results

Emotional labor among community nursing staff in China was divided into three latent classes: active (n = 90, 25.6%), apathetic (n = 65, 18.5%), and moderate (n = 197, 55.9%). The active emotional labor classes had significantly higher career success (p<0.05). The “gaining recognition” dimension showed significant differences across the three classes.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested managers to implement a variety of measures to strengthen interventions for employees’ emotional labor that are targeted to incentive mechanisms, which will improve nurses’ sense of career success.
FoQDE2-dependent milRNA promotes Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense virulence by silencing a glycosyl hydrolase coding gene expression
Authors: Li Minhui , Xie Lifei , Wang Meng , Lin Yilian , Zhong Jiaqi , Zhang Yong , Zeng Jing , Kong Guanghui , Xi Pinggen , Li Huaping , Ma Li-Jun , Jiang Zide
Published: May 2022

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate protein-coding gene expression primarily found in plants and animals. Fungi produce microRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) that are structurally similar to miRNAs and functionally important in various biological processes. The fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is the causal agent of Banana Fusarium vascular wilt that threatens global banana production. It remains uncharacterized about the biosynthesis and functions of milRNAs in Foc. In this study, we investigated the biological function of milRNAs contributing to Foc pathogenesis. Within 24 hours post infecting the host, the Argonaute coding gene FoQDE2, and two Dicer coding genes FoDCL1 and FoDCL2, all of which are involved in milRNA biosynthesis, were significantly induced. FoQDE2 deletion mutant exhibited decreased virulence, suggesting the involvement of milRNA biosynthesis in the Foc pathogenesis. By small RNA sequencing, we identified 364 small RNA-producing loci in the Foc genome, 25 of which were significantly down-regulated in the FoQDE2 deletion mutant, from which milR-87 was verified as a FoQDE2-depedent milRNA based on qRT-PCR and Northern blot analysis. Compared to the wild-type, the deletion mutant of milR-87 was significantly reduced in virulence, while overexpression of milR-87 enhanced disease severity, confirming that milR-87 is crucial for Foc virulence in the infection process. We furthermore identified FOIG_15013 (a glycosyl hydrolase-coding gene) as the direct target of milR-87 based on the expression of FOIG_15013-GFP fusion protein. The FOIG_15013 deletion mutant displayed similar phenotypes as the overexpression of milR-87, with a dramatic increase in the growth, conidiation and virulence. Transient expression of FOIG_15013 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves activates the host defense responses. Collectively, this study documents the involvement of milRNAs in the manifestation of the devastating fungal disease in banana, and demonstrates the importance of milRNAs in the pathogenesis and other biological processes. Further analyses of the biosynthesis and expression regulation of fungal milRNAs may offer a novel strategy to combat devastating fungal diseases.
Fandom as religion: A social-scientific assessment
Authors: Elliott Michael A.
Published: May 2022

My objective in this article is to outline both a conceptual and a methodological reframing of the ‘fandom as religion’ comparison from a social-scientific perspective. This comparison is familiar territory by now. It has survived the decades because there are, in fact, some striking similarities between fan devotion and religious devotion. However, there are some lingering issues that continue to hamper this field. As a result, I begin by discussing these issues in more detail and highlight how they can be problematic. Next, I discuss how fan devotion is better conceptualized as a sacred rather than a religious experience. Finally, I suggest suitable methods for gathering first-hand data from fans to test this association. On the whole, I believe this reframing will lead to a more accurate understanding of fandoms and chart a clearer path forward for scholars in this field.
Middle-aged Malaysian women’s agency in participating in a K-pop fandom
Authors: Loh Sharmaine
Published: May 2022

This article discusses the fandom of Malaysian middle-aged women participating in a fandom of BIGBANG, a South Korean boy band. Fandom is conventionally assumed to target younger audiences, teenagers or young adults but this article showcase that this is not the case and there are fans of all ages. This is not only evident in the BIGBANG fandom but also observed in the Twilight and One Direction fandom. This article studies the agency displayed by these women and how they shape their fandom in respect of their identity as spouses, parents and daughters. I also review how they negotiate their personal relationship with their families, acquaintances and younger fans in the fandom. The patriarchy system, religion and social expectations each play a role in influencing these women’s engagement with the fandom. Research on older fans is neither common nor abundantly available, thus this article hopes to contribute to the current literature on fandom.
‘I wasn’t open to notes’: S. Craig Zahler, Dragged Across Concrete (2018) and the 157-page screenplay
Authors: Goodare Lee
Published: May 2022

Drawn to its distinctive narrative style and length, in this article I examine writer-director S. Craig Zahler’s third feature screenplay, Dragged Across Concrete. I focus on Zahler’s authorship and creative writing, which flouts many screenwriting conventions. Zahler’s screenplay, totalling 157 pages, is considerably longer than the recommended length of 90–120 pages and it is examined and contextualized here via discussion of length, style, character, scenes, genre and dialogue. This analysis contributes to the formal study of the screenplay as a source text and aims to counter what Steven Price has termed the ‘screenplay’s near-invisibility in critical analysis’.
Catalysing Elastextity in adaptation screenwriting: The motivic chronotope of liminality
Authors: Theo L. J.
Published: May 2022

Julie Grossman’s term ‘elasTEXTity’ describes sources and adaptations that have a flexibility that represents change rather than a rigid relationship between immovable objects. When matched with Jamie Sherry’s argument that the screenplay is ‘liminal’, Grossman’s framing is usefully applied to adaptation screenwriting to describe a ‘liminal elastextual catalyst’ for either syntagmatic, ‘plastextual’ and derivative adaptations, or ones that are paradigmatic, ‘elastextual’ and innovative. This framing is particularly compelling for adaptations of the 1960s and 1970s from the ‘liminal’ Soviet Republics, as evidenced in two readings of an Estonian narrative. One is non-paradigmatically focused on political borders, while the other paradigmatically describes a motivic chronotope lodged in the notion of liminality, the Bakhtinian Threshold Chronotope and the notion of transgredience that reflects realistic human characteristics. Rather than a syntagmatic transposition of people, places and actions, the latter reading is more ‘elastextual’ in holding potential for a welcome substantial challenge to the primacy, integrity and identity of the source text.
Robert De Niro at Work From Screenplay to Screen Performance, Adam Ganz and Steven Price (2020)
Authors: Kirk Laura
Published: May 2022

Review of: Robert De Niro at Work From Screenplay to Screen Performance, Adam Ganz and Steven Price (2020)

London: Palgrave Macmillan, 212 pp.,

ISBN: 978-3-03047-960-2, p/bk, $29.99, digital $23.98
NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL REHABILITATIONBASED ON THE ALGORITHMS OF THE ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS
Authors: Mitikhin Vyacheslav , Solokhina Tatyana
Published: May 2022

Introduction The approach to evaluating the effectiveness of psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) of mentally ill patients implies a multidimensional, hierarchical consideration of mental pathology with the inclusion of clinical and psychopathological, socio-environmental and personal indicators when setting goals and objectives of PSR.

Objectives Development of algorithms and models for evaluating the effectiveness of PSR taking into account: clinical, socio-demographic, psychological characteristics of the patient and the characteristics of the family environment, as well as factors of psychiatric care.

Methods Clinical, statistical, algorithms of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) [1].

Results The main problem associated with the evaluation of the results of psychosocial rehabilitation is the incorrectness of processing rank information, since by definition ranks are not numbers, but labels, between which only the operations of equality ("equal") and order ("less-more") are defined. Numerical estimates of changes (before and after the PSR program) in the main areas of patient’s functioning disorders, such as motivation, cognition, compliance, coping strategies, family, skills and others, are proposed as particular criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of PSR.

Quantitative estimates for particular criteria are obtained on the basis of rank estimates, which are converted into numerical ones based on AHP algorithms [1].

Conclusions The developed approach opens up prospects for obtaining numerical, partial and integral estimates based on various rank scales, which are of interest from the point of view of forming criteria-indicators (markers) of the effectiveness of rehabilitation and psychotherapeutic measures.

1. Mitikhin V., Solokhina T.
S.S. Korsakov Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry 2019(2):49-54. doi:10.17116/jnevro201911902149
A Low-Cost and Portable Indoor 3D Mapping Approach Using Biaxial Line Laser Scanners and a One-Dimension Laser Range Finder Integrated with Microelectromechanical Systems
Authors: Duan Xuzhe , Hu Qingwu , Zhao Pengcheng , Wang Shaohua
Published: May 2022

Existing indoor 3D mapping solutions suffer from high cost and poor portability. In this article, a low-cost and portable indoor 3D mapping approach using biaxial line laser scanners and a one-dimension laser range finder integrated with microelectromechanical systems is proposed. A multiple-sensor calibration approach is presented to perform the extrinsic calibration of the integrated 3D mapping system. The 2D point cloud acquired by the horizontal laser scanner and the orientation information obtained by the microelectromechanical systems are used as inputs for a simultaneous localization and mapping framework to estimate the 2D poses. The height information acquired by the laser range finder is then fused to obtain the 3D pose, which is applied to restore the actual position and orientation of the 2D point cloud generated by the tilted laser scanner to reconstruct the 3D point cloud of the indoor environment. The experimental results—three typical indoor scenes—demonstrate that the proposed approach can achieve accuracies of 3 cm and 2°. Therefore, the proposed approach is a low-cost, portable, and accurate solution for indoor 3D mapping.
Alternative Procedure to Improve the Positioning Accuracy of Orthomosaic Images Acquired with Agisoft Metashape and DJI P4 Multispectral for Crop Growth Observation
Authors: Sakamoto Toshihiro , Ogawa Daisuke , Hiura Satoko , Iwasaki Nobusuke
Published: May 2022

Vegetation indices (VIs), such as the green chlorophyll index and normalized difference vegetation index, are calculated from visible and near-infrared band images for plant diagnosis in crop breeding and field management. The DJI P4 Multispectral drone combined with the Agisoft Metashape
Structure from Motion/Multi View Stereo software is some of the most cost-effective equipment for creating high-resolution orthomosaic VI images. However, the manufacturer's procedure results in remarkable location estimation inaccuracy (average error: 3.27–3.45 cm) and alignment errors
between spectral bands (average error: 2.80–2.84 cm). We developed alternative processing procedures to overcome these issues, and we achieved a higher positioning accuracy (average error: 1.32–1.38 cm) and better alignment accuracy between spectral bands (average error: 0.26–0.32
cm). The proposed procedure enables precise VI analysis, especially when using the green chlorophyll index for corn, and may help accelerate the application of remote sensing techniques to agriculture.
Comparing the Sensitivity of Pixel-Based and Sub-Watershed-Based Analytic Hierarchy Process to Weighting Criteria for Flood Hazard Estimation
Authors: Zhang Hongping , Shao Zhenfeng , Wu Wenfu , Huang Xiao , Sun Jisong , Zhao Jinqi , Fan Yewen
Published: May 2022

In flood hazard estimation via the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), using the pixel as the basic unit might lead to accuracy relying on the optimal weighting criteria. To this end, considering the sub-watershed as the basic unit is new. In this study, taking the Chaohu Basin in Anhui
Province, China, as a study case, the accuracy of the sensitivity of the pixel-based and sub-watershed-based AHP models influenced by weighting criteria was compared. There were 48 judgment ma- trixes defined, following the same order of importance of the involved indicators. Validation ground
truthing is constructed by the extracted flooded regions from GF-3 images. As weighting criteria changed, the results indicated that the pixel-based AHP fluctuated significantly, while the correct ratio and fit ratio derived by the sub-watershed-based AHP could improve by >35% and >5%,
respectively, over the pixel-based-AHP. It indicated that the sub-watershed-based AHP has an advantage in relying less on in situ weighting criteria than the pixel-based AHP.
Covid-19 como estudio de la pobreza de América Latina en el 2021
Authors: Alzate Montoya Paola Marcela , Grisales Aguirre Andres Mauricio , Julio Moreno Karla Beatriz
Published: May 2022

Las diversas consecuencias del COVID-19 hantrascendido los aspectos sanitarios y sociales a los económicos.La pobreza ha sido uno de los aspectos de mayor interés deestudio por áreas multidisciplinares que pretenden identificarlas causas para contrarrestar sus consecuencias. El objetivo delpresente trabajo es analizar la incidencia del COVID-19 en lapobreza de los países Latinoamericanos. La identificación defactores y de tópicos dominantes se implementa como técnicade articulación. Los resultados sugieren la existencia de 7 tópicosque resaltan vulnerabilidad, ciudad, pobreza, salud y enfermedadcomo términos de incidencia.
Influence of Nursing in Health Economics: an Integrative Review of Literature
Authors: Saldías Fernández María Angélica , Luengo Martínez Carolina
Published: May 2022

In times of great socio-sanitary conjunctures, such as these, to identify the influence of nursing in the complex dynamics of the health economy and health management becomes vital.Objective: to determine the implications of nursing on health economics as seen in the literature.Methodology: to integrative a review of the literature, in OVID, Pubmed, Clinikal Key, Scielo databases, published in the 2000 - 2018 period in English, Portuguese, and Spanish languages, following the recommendations of the SALSA review method and adjusted to modified PRISMA requirements. Of a total of 26 retrieved articles, 18 were eligible for re-view, after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were summarized using a narrative-qualitative-descriptive synthesis.Results: 44% of the publications were made between 2005 and 2009; 78% were made in the United States; 56% were obtained from PUBMED; and 44% are of quantitative design. The categorical analysis shows a clear tendency to reveal the economic cost related to the impact of the nursing professional’s work in various areas, rather than considerations of quality of care or effectiveness of the work.Conclusion: links were observed between nursing actions and health economics in three main aspects: quality of care, costs, and effectiveness.
Calidad de vida en cuidadores familiares de adultos mayores frágiles
Authors: Linares Cánovas Lázaro Pablo , Lemus Fajardo Nora María , Linares Cánovas Liyansis Bárbara , Moreira Díaz Lázaro Raidel , Toledo del Llano Roxana
Published: May 2022

Objetivo: determinar el comportamiento de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud de los cuidadores primarios de adultos mayores frágiles. Métodos: estudio transversal correlacional desarrollado en el Hospital Clínico-Quirúrgico-Docente “Dr. León Cuervo Rubio”, de Pinar del Río, entre 2018 y 2019. Fueron reclutados 276 cuidadores, mediante muestreo intencional, aplicándoseles varios instrumentos, para la obtención de información. Además de los métodos de estadística descriptiva, se empleó el análisis estadístico inferencial, para buscar la existencia de interacciones entre variables. Resultados: la edad del cuidador presentó una mediana de 47 años; desempeñándose el 53,6 %,más de cuatro años en labores de cuidado, dedicándole una media de 4,9 horas diarias a dicha labor, predominando los cuidadores sin adiestramiento previo (76,1 %) y con apoyo social inadecuado (57,6 %). Las dimensiones rol físico, función social, salud mental, vitalidad y rol emocional, fueron las más afectadas. Las características sociodemográficas y vinculadas al cuidado, mostraron asociación estadísticamente significativa (p<0,05), con la afectación a diferentes dimensiones de la encuesta SF-36, quienes fueron correlacionadas con la carga del cuidador, la antigüedad y la cantidad de horas diarias de cuidado. Conclusiones: fue determinado el estado de la calidad de vida de los cuidadores, detallándose una mayor afectación del componente mental, que incluía a las dimensiones función social, salud mental, vitalidad, rol emocional. A su vez fueron identificadas las variables sociodemográficas asociadas a la afectación de la calidad de vida en cada una de sus dimensiones, así como se logró correlacionar la calidad de vida con variables asociadas al cuidador.
Internet de las cosas,salud pública y pandemias
Authors: Rodríguez-Gómez Rodolfo
Published: May 2022

Internet de las cosas está transformando el mundo a pasos acelerados. Esta nueva dimensión digital permite conectar millones de objetos a Internet, lo cual representa oportunidades para recopilar todo tipo de información. Dentro de los nuevos aliados de la salud pública están las mascarillas inteligentes y los drones conectados a internet para apoyar el monitoreo de casos y la vigilancia epidemiológica. También se cuenta con Internet of Drones, la robótica y los wearables, los cuales se incorporan a ropa y accesorios gracias a la miniaturización de sensores. Así, la nueva salud pública podrá contar con datos masivos en pro de una salud pública menos reactiva y más predictiva. El propósito de este artículo es reflexionar sobre el papel de Internet de las cosas como aliado de la salud pública en la respuesta y control de las pandemias.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections by Rapid Inexpensive Methods
Authors: Al-jaf Sirwan M.A. , Niranji Sherko S.
Published: May 2022

New SARS-CoV-2 infections are difficult to beverified, whether they are reinfections or persistent infections. The most prominent factors used for differentiating reinfections from persistent infections are whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses that require time and funds, which may not be feasible in most developing countries. This study explores reinfections with COVID-19 that harbors D614G and N501Y mutations by rapid inexpensive methods. It exploits the previously developed rapid economic methods that identified both D614G and N501Y mutations in clinical samples using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) probes and conventional PCR specific primers. In the present study, an immunocompetent patient has been found with a SARS-CoV-2 N501Y reinfection without comorbidities. According to the obtained results, this study suggests that the initial infection was due to a variant that contained only D614G mutation whereas the reinfection was potentially a result of alpha variant contained three mutations confirmed by DNA sequencing, including D614G, N501Y, and A570D mutations. These techniques will support rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections through the identification of common spike mutations in the developing countries where sequencing tools are unavailable. Furthermore, seven cases of reinfections were also confirmed by these methods. These rapid methods can also be applied to large samples of reinfections that may increase our understanding epidemiology of the pandemic.