bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in trauma patients with severe adult respiratory distress syndrome: A retrospective study
Authors: Lee Gil Jae , Kim Myung Jun , Lee Jae Gil , Lee Seung Hwan
Published: August 2022

Background:

The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has increased, although its survival benefit in trauma patients with severe adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains controversial. We investigated the effect of veno-venous (VV)-ECMO on the clinical outcomes of trauma patients with severe ARDS.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study at a single center comprising trauma patients admitted between January 2013 and December 2017, diagnosed with severe ARDS using the Berlin definition (PaO2/FiO2 ratio ⩽100), in the 7 days following trauma. Patients were managed with VV-ECMO or conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality (mortality at 60 days); secondary outcomes comprised 28-day mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, ICU-free days, duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), and MV-free days. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for the baseline differences.

Results:

Sixteen patients (22.5%) were managed with VV-ECMO and 55 were managed with CMV. After matching, the in-hospital mortality rate (43.8% vs 53.1%; p = 0.760), 28-day mortality rate (37.5% vs 31.3%; p = 0.750), median hospital LOS (39.5 vs 36.5 days; p = 0.533), ICU-free days (0 vs 0 days; p = 0.241), and MV-free days (0 vs 0 days; p = 0.272) did not significantly differ between the VV-ECMO and CMV groups.

Conclusion:

In-hospital mortality (mortality at 60 days) did not differ significantly between the VV-ECMO and CMV groups. Although the safety of ECMO in trauma patients requires further investigation, VV-ECMO may be considered as a rescue therapy.
Sleep Problems in Children With Neurocutaneous Syndromes: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Saini Lokesh , Mukherjee Swetlana , Gunasekaran Pradeep Kumar , Malhi Prahbhjot , Saini Arushi Gahlot , De Dipankar , Padhy Susanta , Ahuja Chirag , Suthar Renu , Sahu Jitendra Kumar , Sankhyan Naveen , Yadav Jaivinder , Sharawat Indar Kumar
Published: August 2022

Introduction: The prevalence and patterns of sleep disturbances in neurocutaneous syndromes are variable and understudied. Methods: Cross-sectional study for 18 months at a tertiary care pediatric hospital, involving 100 children with neurocutaneous syndromes aged between 4 and 10 years using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Abbreviated. Results: In 100 children with neurocutaneous syndromes, 47 (47%) had significant sleep problems. In subgroup analysis, 7 of 17 children with neurofibromatosis 1, 24 of 63 children with tuberous sclerosis complex, 10 of 12 children with Sturge-Weber syndrome, 2 of 3 children with linear nevus sebaceous syndrome, and each of the children with hypomelanosis of Ito, McCune-Albright syndrome, megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome, and unclassified neurocutaneous syndrome had significant sleep problems. Conclusion: The prevalence of sleep problems in our study population was not more than that observed in the general pediatric population. Prospective multicentric studies are needed to comprehend sleep problems in children with neurocutaneous syndromes.
A new small sample test configuration for fatigue life estimation of overhead contact wires
Authors: Sunar Özgün , Fletcher David
Published: August 2022

Fatigue in railway overhead line electrification (OLE) contact wires can cause sudden catastrophic failures. The contact wire interacting with the pantograph both mechanically and electrically is subjected to tension and repetitive bending due to the pantograph contact force. Recently, fatigue failures of OLE have risen in prominence with increases in train speed. To address this a new fatigue test configuration has been developed. The study focuses on a method for testing the wire as a component enabling fatigue life evaluation of worn wires, or exploring the effect of installation damage, through component level evaluation of crack initiation and propagation. The new test configuration places a 400 mm-length contact wire in a combination of bending and pretension with realistic boundary conditions replicating service conditions for longer spans. The results are presented in a strain-life format to provide data for a wide range of potential service conditions.
Evaluation of hair analysis for determination of trace mineral status and exposure to toxic heavy metals in horses in the Netherlands
Authors: van der Merwe Deon , van den Wollenberg Linda , van Hees-Valkenborg Jolien , de Haan Tara , van der Drift Saskia , Vandendriessche Veerle
Published: August 2022

Analysis of hair to gain insight into the trace mineral status and exposure to toxic heavy metals of horses is attractive because hair is an easily accessible sample material. To investigate the potential value of hair analysis in horses for determination of trace mineral and heavy metal concentrations, we analyzed mane hair and liver samples from 62 horses presented for slaughter at a facility in the Netherlands that receives horses from all regions of the country. Hair samples were cleaned in warm water. After acid digestion of hair and liver specimens, we quantified, with inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, vanadium, and zinc in the digests. Based on Pearson product moment correlations, we found no statistically significant correlations between concentrations of trace minerals in liver and hair, with the exception of a slight correlation for copper that was too weak to be of clinical relevance. Our results do not support the use of hair to determine trace mineral status and exposure to toxic heavy metals in the horse under field conditions.
Spontaneous Reossification Following Craniectomy in a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Soliman Luke , Sobti Nikhil , Rao Vinay , Klinge Petra , Woo Albert S.
Published: August 2022

Spontaneous reossification following a cranial defect is described by only a few case reports. A 6-month-old male with epidural hematoma underwent decompressive craniotomy, subsequently complicated by scalp abscess requiring removal of the bone flap. On serial outpatient follow-up, the patient demonstrated near-complete resolution of cranial defect over the course of 18 months, thus deferring the need for future cranioplasty. Prior articles have identified this occurrence in children and young adults; however, the present case is the first to report of this phenomenon in an infant less than 1 year of age. A brief review of the literature is provided with the proposed physiologic underpinning for the spontaneous reossification observed. While prior studies propose that recranialization is mediated by contact with the dura mater and pericranium, new investigations suggest that calvarial bone repair is also mediated by stem cells from the suture mesenchyme.
Epistemic stance in Korean assessment pairs: The role of evidential and non-evidential sentence-ending suffixes
Authors: Ha Kyoungmi
Published: August 2022

Studies in conversation analysis (CA) have shown that in assessments, various linguistic resources are used to express epistemic stance in ordinary conversation. In Korean conversation, although the evidential and non-evidential functions of sentence-ending (SE) suffixes are well recognized, little research has been done on their relation to epistemic stance and their use in assessments. In this study, using naturally-occurring conversation data and the CA framework, I analyze 59 cases of a speaker’s first assessment regarding his/her interlocutor and 49 responses to these first assessments (second assessments). I argue that in Korean assessment pairs, the evidential and non-evidential SE suffixes are used as a resource for expressing epistemic stance. The results show that 74.4% of the first assessments were marked with an evidential SE suffix whereas 71.4% of the second assessments were marked with a non-evidential SE suffix. Furthermore, certain evidential SE suffixes are used as a resource to convey a downgraded epistemic stance in first assessments whereas certain non-evidential SE suffixes are used to express epistemic primacy in second assessments.
Moral economy and deservingness in immigration policies. The case of regularisations in Italy
Authors: Ambrosini Maurizio
Published: August 2022

This paper has two purposes. The first is theoretical: to revise use of the concept of moral economy in migration studies, and the related concept of deservingness. I will identify different versions and meanings, showing their significant contribution to the understanding of migration issues, but discussing their lack of consideration of a particular aspect: the conflict between competing moral economies. The second and related purpose will be to apply the concept of moral economy to an analysis of the public debate on the recent measure, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, enacted to regularise unauthorised immigrants in Italy (May–August 2020). The measure, almost unique in Europe and in the Global North, has involved only workers, and workers employed in two sectors: agriculture and domestic/care services. This decision can be seen as a choice in terms of moral economy: some sectors and some immigrant workers have deserved more consideration than other workers. The empirical material is constituted by declarations and statements by social and political actors who took part in the debate, using moral-economic arguments to support their position. I will review this debate through the lens of competing moral economies and different notions of deservingness. In the conclusion I argue that in migration policies, relevant moral and political values are involved: human rights and national sovereignty, the right to mobility and citizens’ rights, the right of asylum and social cohesion. I wish for a more subtle use of the concept of moral economy to feed a better discussion of these crucial topics.
Is the School-To-Prison Pipeline Just for Boys? The Effect of School Punishment Across Gender
Authors: Pesta Racheal
Published: August 2022

Boys are overrepresented in school punishment, dropout, and delinquency setting them on a path towards criminal offending. There is limited research on the effect of school punishment among females and if that effect varies across gender. Informed by a labeling perspective, this study examines the effect of exclusionary discipline on dropout, delinquency, and criminal offending among males and females. Special attention is paid to the role of school bonding as a potential gendered mechanism that protects female students from negative outcomes associated with school punishment. Results suggest both similarities and differences in the effect of exclusionary discipline across gender.
Study on fault diagnosis method for the tail rope of a hoisting system based on machine vision
Authors: Zhang Xinge , Meng Guoying , Wang Aiming , Cui Wei , Cheng Xiaohan , Yang Jie
Published: August 2022

Healthy operation of the tail rope is crucial to the stable and safe operation of a friction hoisting system. Failure of the tail rope will threaten the property and personnel. In this study, a fault diagnosis algorithm based on deep learning is proposed for the tail rope. Specifically, we add a spatial attention mechanism in the feature extraction stage to assign different weights to different regions in images. This way “guides” the model to focus on more important regions. A class-balance cross-entropy loss is introduced to alleviate the imbalanced data distribution in the actual conditions for enhancing the robustness of the algorithm and its transferability in practical applications. Experimental studies are conducted to validate the algorithm. The accuracy of the algorithm on the conducted dataset is 99.4819%. The accuracy of the provided algorithm is increased by 10% and 7% compared with those of the hand-crafted features, namely, scale-invariant feature transform with support vector machine and random forest, respectively. Results show that the proposed algorithm can meet the requirements of high accuracy and generalization in practical engineering applications.
Appropriate supplementation of testosterone alleviates post-stroke damage via decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress in aged male C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Wang Jianguo , Zhou Yuefei , He Lijun
Published: August 2022

Stroke injury is closely related to testosterone levels. Testosterone supplementation in elderly men is seen to protect the cardiovascular system and reduce the risk of stroke. But this medication method is controversial. This study aims to investigate the effect of long-term testosterone supplementation on brain injury after stroke in aged mice. 60 male C57BL/6 mice,12-months of age were divided into 3 groups: low-dose group, high-dose group, and control group, each group was injected subcutaneously with 100 μL of sesame oil or 5 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg of testosterone (in 100 μL of sesame oil) twice per week, respectively. One week after the injection, stroke was induced by light. After the stroke, the injection continued for 6 weeks. The motion ability was measured by rotating rod and tail suspension. The brain injury was observed by naked eyes and TTC staining. In addition, we measured the inflammation ( Tnf-α, Il-6, and Mcp-1) and oxidative stress (Malondialdehyde (MDA) and T-AOC) in the injured tissue 72 h post-stroke. Low-dose testosterone supplementation improved the motion ability and decreased brain injury. It also decreased the inflammatory factors ( Tnf-α, Il-6, and Mcp-1), decreased MDA product, and increased T-AOC. High-dose testosterone supplementation not only reduced the motion ability and aggravated stroke injury, but also increased the inflammation, MDA level and decreased T-AOC level. In summary, supplementation of testosterone at normal levels in elderly mice can alleviate post-stroke injury by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress; however, excessive supplementation may cause unexpected injuries. This study has important implications for the application of testosterone replacement therapy.
Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis in two patients with infective endocarditis: a case series
Authors: Josephson Laura , Cornea Virgilius , Stoner Bobbi Jo , El-Dalati Sami
Published: August 2022

Cryoglobulins are circulating immune complexes that precipitate at cool temperatures and can induce a small-vessel vasculitis. While patients with endocarditis are well known to have circulating cryoglobulins, cryoglobulinemic vasculitis is a rare complication of infective endocarditis with infrequent publication of reported cases. We present two cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus tricuspid valve infective endocarditis in patients with substance use disorder complicated by cryoglobulinemic cutaneous vasculitis confirmed by skin biopsy, including one patient who developed renal and colonic manifestations of vasculitis. Both patients had symptomatic improvement in their vasculitis with appropriate antimicrobial therapy, including one patient who received a short course of prednisone and another with chronic active hepatitis C that remained untreated. Providers should have a high-index of suspicion for infective endocarditis in patients presenting with new onset cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, particularly if the patients have underlying risk factors for endocarditis.
A rapid, easy, and scalable whole blood monocyte CD169 assay for outpatient screening during SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, and potentially other emerging disease outbreaks
Authors: Michel Moïse , Malergue Fabrice , Ait Belkacem Inès , Bourgoin Pénélope , Morange Pierre-Emmanuel , Arnoux Isabelle , Miloud Tewfik , Million Matthieu , Tissot-Dupont Hervé , Mege Jean-Louis , Vitte Joana , Busnel Jean-Marc
Published: August 2022

Objective:

The COVID-19 corona virus disease outbreak is globally challenging health systems and societies. Its diagnosis relies on molecular methods, with drawbacks revealed by mass screening. Upregulation of neutrophil CD64 or monocyte CD169 has been abundantly reported as markers of bacterial or acute viral infection, respectively. We evaluated the sensitivity of an easy, one-step whole blood flow cytometry assay to measure these markers within 10 min, as a potential screening test for COVID-19 patients.

Methods:

Patients ( n = 177) with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were tested on 10 µL blood and results were compared with reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results:

We observed 98% and 100% sensitivity in early-stage ( n = 52) and asymptomatic patients ( n = 9), respectively. Late-stage patients, who presented for a second control RT-qPCR, were negative for both assays in most cases. Conversely, neutrophil CD64 expression was unchanged in 75% of cases, without significant differences between groups.

Conclusion:

Monocyte CD169 evaluation was highly sensitive for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection in first-presentation patients; and it returns to basal level upon infection clearance. The potential ease of fingerprick collection, minimal time-to-result, and low cost rank this biomarker measurement as a potential viral disease screening tool, including COVID-19. When the virus prevalence in the tested population is usually low (1%−10%), such an approach could increase the testing capacity 10 to 100-fold, with the same limited molecular testing resources, which could focus on confirmation purposes only.
A case report of congenital factor X deficiency in an adult patient
Authors: AL-Ansari Rehab Y , Alofi Ghufran , Aljarah Nasser , Woodman Alexander
Published: August 2022

Factor X deficiency is one of the rarest coagulation disorders representing 10% of all rare bleeding diseases with a frequency of 1:1,000,000. A 39-year-old male patient with no previous medical conditions was admitted to the hospital with a left carpal ganglion for surgical excision. Routine preoperative laboratory examination revealed a high international normalized ratio of 5.4 IU (0.8–1.1) and a prothrombin time of 72.2 s (10.9–13.6), with an isolated factor X level of less than 5%. Genetic testing for congenital factor X deficiency identified a homozygous mutation c.271 > A (p.Glu91). Vitamin K supplementation did not improve his international normalized ratio or increase factor X levels; hence, surgery was delayed. The patient was re-hospitalized to remove a wisdom tooth, during which fresh frozen plasma was administered. An allergic reaction complicated this procedure in the form of a rash on the body. As a result, the tooth was removed without active bleeding. This report presents a unique factor X deficiency case with limited treatment options to improve factor X levels after failed vitamin K administration and an allergic reaction to fresh frozen plasma. A physician’s observation and ongoing follow-up were the only reasonable approaches in treating the patient with mild to moderate factor X deficiency due to lack of prothrombin complex concentrates or factor X replacement at the center at the time.
Sexuality in China: A review and new findings
Authors: Yu Jia , Luo Weixiang , Xie Yu
Published: August 2022

In the past four decades, sexuality research in China has made considerable advancements. From historical and sociological perspectives, our study reviews the literature and provides a comprehensive overview of sexuality in contemporary China by drawing on recent survey data that we collected. First, we introduce sexuality in ancient and modern China and discuss the social contexts that gave rise to a sexual revolution in China. Second, we briefly review empirical research on sexuality in China. Finally, we present results on recent changes and socioeconomic patterns of sexual attitudes and behaviors based on our survey—the 2020 Chinese Private Life Survey. A cohort analysis reveals that sexual attitudes have become more liberal in China, with an earlier sex debut and more diverse sexual activities. Surprisingly, however, we find that sexuality seems to have diminished in its appeal among young cohorts, who have lower rates of sexual frequency than preceding cohorts. In addition, we find a reversal in educational gradient in relation to sexual activeness and diversity. Among those born before 1980, highly educated Chinese are more sexually active, while among those born after 1980 the lower educated are more sexually active—in terms of their sexual activity with their partners, seeking out sexual partners online, and engaging in commercial sex. Compared with women, men have higher levels of sexual well-being.
Estimating Productivity Loss from Breast and Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer among Working-Age Patients and Unpaid Caregivers: A Survey Study Using the Multiplier Method
Authors: Chiu Kevin , MacEwan Joanna P. , May Suepattra G. , Bognar Katalin , Peneva Desi , Zhao Lauren M. , Yong Candice , Amin Suvina , Bolinder Bjorn , Batt Katharine , Baumgardner James R.
Published: August 2022

Background. Traditional approaches to capturing health-related productivity loss (e.g., the human capital method) focus only on the foregone wages of affected patients, overlooking the losses caregivers can incur. This study estimated the burden of productivity loss among breast cancer (BC) and non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and individuals caring for such patients using an augmented multiplier method. Design. A cross-sectional survey of BC and NSCLC patients and caregivers measured loss associated with time absent from work (absenteeism) and reduced effectiveness (presenteeism). Respondents reported pre- and postcancer diagnosis income, hours worked, and time to complete tasks. Exploratory multivariable analyses examined correlations between respondents’ clinical/demographic characteristics—including industry of employment—and postdiagnosis productivity. Results. Of 204 patients (104 BC, 100 NSCLC) and 200 caregivers (100 BC, 100 NSCLC) who completed the survey, 319 participants (162 BC, 157 NSCLC) working ≥40 wk/y prediagnosis were included in the analysis. More than one-third of the NSCLC (33%) and BC (43%) patients left the workforce postdiagnosis, whereas only 15% of caregivers did. The traditional estimate for the burden of productivity loss was 66% lower on average than the augmented estimate (NSCLC patients: 60%, BC patients: 69%, NSCLC caregivers: 59%, and BC caregivers: 73%). Conclusions. Although patients typically experience greater absenteeism, productivity loss incurred by caregivers is also substantial. Failure to account for such impacts can result in substantial underestimation of productivity gains novel cancer treatments may confer by enabling patients and caregivers to remain in the workforce longer. Our results underscore the importance of holistic approaches to understanding this impact on both patients and their caregivers and accounting for such considerations when making decisions about treatment and treatment value.

Highlights

Cancer can have a profound impact on productivity. This study demonstrates how the disease affects not only patients but also the informal or unpaid individuals who care for patients. An augmented approach to calculating health-related productivity loss suggests that productivity impacts are much larger than previously understood. A more comprehensive understanding of the economic burden of cancer for both patients and their caregivers suggests the need for more support in the workplace for these individuals and a holistic approach to accounting for these impacts in treatment decision making.
Ethnic Diversity and Politics of Inclusion: Tribes in North East India
Authors: Riamei Joseph
Published: August 2022

In a multi-ethnic country like India, accommodating diverse realities around different communities and regions has been engaging framers of national policy since the beginning of the Indian state. The ability to accommodate newer politico-legal and administrative structures that would minimise conflict and maximise social, political and economic justice has been an unending issue, especially for the tribes in the Northeastern region. The autonomy framework needs to be premised on the condition that people of a specific locality know best what specific autonomous spheres’ activities/powers and resources they should be endowed with and be given constitutional recognition. In this context, it is pertinent to examine whether this framework has fulfilled the aspirations of tribals and addressed their grievances, and thus yielded the desired results, or if there is a need to relook at the structure. The political instability and peoples’ resistance, especially the tribal group as well as the ethnocultural minority group that clamour against the state and dominant politics, has been a never-ending issue in the region. The article brings forth the nuances of inclusive policies and their limits for accommodating ethnically diverse communities. It also examined the framework of federal arrangement and elucidated peoples’ experiences of self-governance and its problems.
Recent insights into the microRNA-dependent modulation of gliomas from pathogenesis to diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Mafi Alireza , Rahmati Atefe , Babaei Aghdam Zahra , Salami Raziyeh , Salami Marziyeh , Vakili Omid , Aghadavod Esmat
Published: August 2022

Gliomas are the most lethal primary brain tumors in adults. These highly invasive tumors have poor 5-year survival for patients. Gliomas are principally characterized by rapid diffusion as well as high levels of cellular heterogeneity. However, to date, the exact pathogenic mechanisms, contributing to gliomas remain ambiguous. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as small noncoding RNAs of about 20 nucleotides in length, are known as chief modulators of different biological processes at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. More recently, it has been revealed that these noncoding RNA molecules have essential roles in tumorigenesis and progression of multiple cancers, including gliomas. Interestingly, miRNAs are able to modulate diverse cancer-related processes such as cell proliferation and apoptosis, invasion and migration, differentiation and stemness, angiogenesis, and drug resistance; thus, impaired miRNAs may result in deterioration of gliomas. Additionally, miRNAs can be secreted into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as well as the bloodstream, and transported between normal and tumor cells freely or by exosomes, converting them into potential diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers for gliomas. They would also be great therapeutic agents, especially if they could cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Accordingly, in the current review, the contribution of miRNAs to glioma pathogenesis is first discussed, then their glioma-related diagnostic/prognostic and therapeutic potential is highlighted briefly.
Multi-scaled self-attention for drug–target interaction prediction based on multi-granularity representation
Authors: Zeng Yuni , Chen Xiangru , Peng Dezhong , Zhang Lijun , Huang Haixiao
Published: August 2022

Background

Drug–target interaction (DTI) prediction plays a crucial role in drug discovery. Although the advanced deep learning has shown promising results in predicting DTIs, it still needs improvements in two aspects: (1) encoding method, in which the existing encoding method, character encoding, overlooks chemical textual information of atoms with multiple characters and chemical functional groups; as well as (2) the architecture of deep model, which should focus on multiple chemical patterns in drug and target representations.

Results

In this paper, we propose a multi-granularity multi-scaled self-attention (SAN) model by alleviating the above problems. Specifically, in process of encoding, we investigate a segmentation method for drug and protein sequences and then label the segmented groups as the multi-granularity representations. Moreover, in order to enhance the various local patterns in these multi-granularity representations, a multi-scaled SAN is built and exploited to generate deep representations of drugs and targets. Finally, our proposed model predicts DTIs based on the fusion of these deep representations. Our proposed model is evaluated on two benchmark datasets, KIBA and Davis. The experimental results reveal that our proposed model yields better prediction accuracy than strong baseline models.

Conclusion

Our proposed multi-granularity encoding method and multi-scaled SAN model improve DTI prediction by encoding the chemical textual information of drugs and targets and extracting their various local patterns, respectively.
Plastome structure of 8 Calanthe s.l. species (Orchidaceae): comparative genomics, phylogenetic analysis
Authors: Nanjala Consolata , Wanga Vincent Okelo , Odago Wyclif , Mutinda Elizabeth Syowai , Waswa Emmanuel Nyongesa , Oulo Millicent Akinyi , Mkala Elijah Mbandi , Kuja Josiah , Yang Jia-Xin , Dong Xiang , Hu Guang-Wan , Wang Qing-Feng
Published: August 2022

Background

Calanthe(Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae) is a pantropical genus distributed in Asia and Africa. Its species are of great importance in terms of economic, ornamental and medicinal values. However, due to limited and confusing delimitation characters, the taxonomy of theCalanthealliance (Calanthe,Cephalantheropsis, andPhaius) has not been sufficiently resolved. Additionally, the limited genomic information has shown incongruences in its systematics and phylogeny. In this study, we used illumina platform sequencing, performed ade novoassembly, and did a comparative analysis of 8Calanthegroup species' plastomes: 6Calantheand 2Phaiusspecies. Phylogenetic analyses were used to reconstruct the relationships of the species as well as with other species of the family Orchidaceae.

Results

The complete plastomes of theCalanthegroup species have a quadripartite structure with varied sizes ranging between 150,105bp-158,714bp, including a large single-copy region (LSC; 83,364bp- 87,450bp), a small single-copy region (SSC; 16,297bp -18,586bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs; 25,222bp - 26,430bp). The overall GC content of these plastomes ranged between 36.6-36.9%. These plastomes encoded 131-134 differential genes, which included 85-88 protein-coding genes, 37-38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Comparative analysis showed no significant variations in terms of their sequences, gene content, gene order, sequence repeats and the GC content hence highly conserved. However, some genes were lost inC.delavayi(P. delavayi), includingndhC,ndhF, andndhKgenes. Compared to the coding regions, the non-coding regions had more sequence repeats hence important for species DNA barcoding. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a paraphyletic relationship in theCalanthegroup, and confirmed the position ofPhaius delavayiin the genusCalantheas opposed to its previous placement inPhaius.

Conclusion

This study provides a report on the complete plastomes of 6Calantheand 2Phaiusspecies and elucidates the structural characteristics of the plastomes. It also highlights the power of plastome data to resolve phylogenetic relationships and clarifies taxonomic disputes among closely related species to improve our understanding of their systematics and evolution. Furthermore, it also provides valuable genetic resources and a basis for studying evolutionary relationships and population genetics among orchid species.
Expression of PD1 and PDL1 as immune-checkpoint inhibitors in mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Ameli Fereshteh , Shajareh Elham , Mokhtari Maral , Kosari Farid
Published: August 2022

Background

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has remained incurable in most patients. The expression of PD-L1 as a prognostic and predictive marker has not been fully evaluated in MCL. The current study aimed to determine PD-1/PD-L1 expression in MCL specimens and its significance as an immune check point inhibitor.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted on the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks of 79 confirmed MCL patients based on immunohistochemistry (IHC). The IHC method was used to stain patient samples for PD1 and PDL1. Positive PD-1/PD-L1 expression was defined as moderate to strong or memberanous or memberanous/cytoplasmic staining in at least 5% of tumor and/or 20% of associated immune cells. Tumor aggressiveness was determined based on Ki67 and variant.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 60.08 ± 10.78 years old. Majority of the patients were male. The prevalence of aggressive tumor was 25%. Positive PD1 and PDL1 expression were identified in 12 (15.0%) and 3 (3.8%) of tumor cells, respectively. PD1 and PDL1 were positive in zero (0%) and 7 (8.9%) of background cells, respectively. There was no significant difference in terms of study parameters between positive and negative groups for both PD1 and PDL1 proteins. PD1 tumor cell percentage was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.254,p = 0.046).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that neither PD-1 nor its ligands represent relevant targets for MCL treatment. Age may impact the efficiency of immune checkpoint inhibitors and could be related to the increased incidence of MCL with age.
Oral lactase for infantile colic: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Narang Manish , Shah Dheeraj
Published: August 2022

Background

Infantile colic is a common problem during the first three months of life. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in an urban hospital in Delhi, India evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral lactase in management of infantile colic.

Methods

One hundred sixty-two clinically healthy infants aged < 5 months age [mean (SD) = 63.5 (30.5) days] fulfilling the Rome-IV diagnostic criteria for infantile colic were enrolled. Eligible children were randomly allocated to receive 5 drops of lactase (600 FCC units/mL) (n = 80) or placebo (n = 82) mixed with breast milk or formula feed four times a day for a duration of 4 weeks. Primary outcomes were duration of crying or fussing (min/d), and number of days with colic lasting > 3 h/d; secondary outcomes were parental satisfaction and adverse events.

Results

At the end of four weeks, mean (SD) crying or fussing time (min/d) was significantly shorter in infants receiving lactase in comparison to placebo [89.9 (115.2)vs.178.5 (153.2);P = 0.001]. The mean (SD) number of days with colic was also significantly less in the lactase group as compared to placebo group at the end of the treatment [12.1 (7.8)vs17.6 (8.4);P < 0.001]. By the end of 4thweek, parental satisfaction in terms of infant’s mood, activity, alertness, comfort and oral intake was better in intervention group. The adverse event profile was comparable between two groups.

Conclusions

Oral lactase treatment in infantile colic results in symptomatic relief in terms of shortening of duration of crying or fussing, and better parental satisfaction.

Trial registration

Clinical trial registry of India (CTRI/2017/12/010930) registered on 20/12/2017.
A prognostic Risk Score model for oral squamous cell carcinoma constructed by 6 glycolysis-immune-related genes
Authors: Liu Yi , Wang Tong , Li Ronghua
Published: August 2022

Background

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most frequent tumor of the head and neck. The glycolysis-related genes and immune-related genes have been proven prognostic values in various cancers. Our study aimed to test the prognostic value of glycolysis-immune-related genes in OSCC.

Methods

Data of OSCC patients were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Enrichment analysis was applied to the glycolysis- and immune-related genes screened by differential expression analysis. Univariate Cox and LASSO Cox analyses were used to filtrate the genes related to the prognosis of OSCC and to construct Risk Score model.

Results

A Risk Score model was constructed by six glycolysis-immune-related genes (including ALDOC, VEGFA, HRG, PADI3, IGSF11 and MIPOL1). High risk OSCC patients (Risk Score >−0.3075) had significantly worse overall survival than that of low risk patients (Risk Score <−0.3075).

Conclusions

The Risk Score model constructed basing on 6 glycolysis-immune-related genes was reliable in stratifying OSCC patients with different prognosis.
A double-blind, randomised cross-over study to evaluate the absorption of a commercially available Ginkgo biloba extract compared to the liposomal extract Ginkgosome
Authors: Briskey David , Rao Amanda
Published: August 2022

Background

Ginkgo biloba extracts (GBE) have been used in traditional medicines for centuries. GBE has been shown to deliver protective effects against symptoms of age-related cognitive decline. Despite there being standardised extractions for GBE, there is still variability in the absorption and efficacy of different extracts. Following the development of a liposomal GBE (Ginkgosome™), the aim of this study is to investigate the absorption of the liposomal formulation compared to a comparator formulation of equal dose.

Methods

Thirteen healthy male and female volunteers completed this single equivalent dose, randomised, double-blind crossover study. Plasma concentrations were determined at baseline and at regular intervals over a 24-h period following ingestion of 120 mg of either a liposomal or comparator formulation.

Results

The liposomal formulation was able to increase plasma concentration of ginkgolide B and C by 1.9 and 2.2-fold compared to the comparator formulation.

Conclusion

The novel liposomal formulation is safe in humans and demonstrates superior absorption for the supply of GBE constituents compared to a comparator standardised formulation.
Implementation of microsurgery simulation in an ophthalmology clerkship in Germany: a prospective, exploratory study
Authors: Deuchler Svenja , Scholtz Julia , Ackermann Hanns , Seitz Berthold , Koch Frank
Published: August 2022

Background

Microsurgery is a growing field which requires significant precision and skill. Eyesi Surgical, which is usually introduced during residency or fellowship, is an ophthalmologic microsurgery simulator which allows users to practice abstract microsurgical skills and more specialized skills. The purpose of this study was to assess the inclusion of microsurgical simulation training during medical school.

Methods

Seventy-nine German medical students in their 10th semester of education completed up to two days of training on the simulator during their ophthalmology clerkship. They received an objective numeric score based on simulator performance and completed pre and post training subjective questionnaires.

Results

There was no relationship found between students’ Eyesi Surgical performance scores and their specialty interests (p = .8). The majority of students (73.4%) rated their microsurgical skills to be higher after simulator training than before training (p < 0.001). 92.4% of students found the Eyesi Surgical to be a useful component of the ophthalmology clerkship. Objective scores from Navigation Training Level 1 showed that students achieved better results in the criteria categories of Completing Objects and Tissue Treatment than in the categories of Instrument and Microscope Handling. The mean Total Score was 25.7 (± 17.5) out of a possible 100 points.

Conclusion

The inclusion of surgical simulation in the ophthalmology clerkship led to increased confidence in the microsurgical skills of medical students. Offering surgical simulation training prior to residency can help to expose students to surgical fields, identify those that have particular talent and aptitude for surgery, and assist them in deciding which specialty to pursue.
Challenges of Telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review
Authors: Ftouni Racha , AlJardali Baraa , Hamdanieh Maya , Ftouni Louna , Salem Nariman
Published: August 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the decrease of in-person visits to reduce the risk of virus transmission. Telemedicine is an efficient communication tool employed between healthcare providers and patients that prevents the risk of exposure to infected persons. However, telemedicine use is not infallible; its users reported multiple issues that complicated the expansion of this technology. So, this systematic review aimed to explore the barriers and challenges of telemedicine use during the pandemic and to propose solutions for improving future use.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) statement. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Embase, and Science Direct were used to look for articles addressing barriers and challenges, in addition to articles proposing solutions. Studies were screened by title and abstract, followed by a full-text review. Risk of bias assessment was done using Critical Appraisal Skills Program for qualitative studies, Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies, and A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews for systematic reviews. After the extraction of data, a narrative synthesis and analysis of the outcomes were performed.

Results

Among 1194 papers identified, only 27 studies were included. Barriers and challenges were assembled under 7 categories: technical aspects, privacy, data confidentiality and reimbursement, physical examination and diagnostics, special populations, training of healthcare providers and patients, doctor-patient relationship, and acceptability. Poor internet connection and lack of universal access to technology were among the technical barriers. Concerns about patient privacy and reimbursement hindered the use of telemedicine too. Physical examination and certain procedures were impossible to perform via telemedicine. Training both healthcare providers and patients was deficient. The doctor-patient relationship was troubled by telemedicine, and both healthcare providers and patients were reluctant to use telemedicine.

Conclusion

Widespread use of telemedicine is still hampered by various barriers and challenges. Healthcare providers should work with various stakeholders to implement the proposed solutions. More research and policy changes are essential to optimize telemedicine utilization.
The relations between business model efficiency and novelty, and outcome while accounting for managed competition contract: a quantitative study among Dutch physiotherapy primary healthcare organisations
Authors: IJntema Rutger , Barten Di-Janne , Duits Hans , Tjemkes Brian , Veenhof Cindy
Published: August 2022

Background

Since 2006, business principles have been introduced to foster efficient healthcare by way of managed competition. Managed competition is expressed by a contract between a health insurer and a physiotherapy primary healthcare organisation (PTPHO). In such a managed environment, PTPHOs have to attain treatment service quality and financial PTPHO-centred outcomes Research shows that business model designs may enhance organisation-centred outcomes. A business model is a design (efficiency or novelty) of how a firm transacts with customers, partners, and vendors; how it connects with markets. However, research on managed competition contract and business model designs, in relation to PTPHO-centred outcomes is new to the healthcare literature. PTPHOs may not know how business model designs enhance outcomes. This study aims to delineate the relations between business model efficiency and novelty, and PTPHO-centred outcomes, while accounting for managed competition contract in Dutch healthcare.

Methods

A quantitative cross-sectional design was adopted. Using a questionnaire, the relations between managed competition, business model efficiency and novelty, and PTPHO-centred outcomes were investigated among PTPHO managers (n = 138). Theory-based expectations were set up and multiple linear regression analyses were applied.

Results

Managed competition and business model efficiency show no relation with PTPHO-centred outcomes. Moderation of the business model efficiency and PTPHO-centred outcomes relation by managed competition contract is not detected. Business model novelty shows a positive relation with PTPHO-centred outcomes. Moderation of the business model novelty and PTPHO-centred outcomes relation by managed competition contract is found.

Conclusions

There seem to be positive relations between business model novelty and PTPHO-centred outcomes on its own and moderated by managed competition contract. No relations seem to exist with business model efficiency. This implies that the combination of persistent use of health insurer-driven managed competition contracts and a naturally efficient PTPHOs may have left too few means for these organisations to contribute to healthcare reforms and attain PTPHO-centred outcomes. Organisation-driven innovation could stretch system-level regulations and provide room for new business models. Optimising contracts towards organisation-driven healthcare reform, including novelty requirements and corresponding reimbursements is suggested. PTPHO managers may want to shift their attitudes towards novel business models.
Landscape of lipidomic metabolites in gut-liver axis of Sprague–Dawley rats after oral exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Zhangjian , Han Shuo , Zheng Pai , Zhang Jiahe , Zhou Shupei , Jia Guang
Published: August 2022

Background

The application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) as food additives poses a risk of oral exposure that may lead to adverse health effects. Even though the substantial evidence supported liver as the target organ of TiO2 NPs via oral exposure, the mechanism of liver toxicity remains largely unknown. Since the liver is a key organ for lipid metabolism, this study focused on the landscape of lipidomic metabolites in gut-liver axis of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats exposed to TiO2 NPs at 0, 2, 10, 50 mg/kg body weight per day for 90 days.

Results

TiO2 NPs (50 mg/kg) caused slight hepatotoxicity and changed lipidomic signatures of main organs or systems in the gut-liver axis including liver, serum and gut. The cluster profile from the above biological samples all pointed to the same key metabolic pathway and metabolites, which was glycerophospholipid metabolism and Phosphatidylcholines (PCs), respectively. In addition, absolute quantitative lipidomics verified the changes of three PCs concentrations, including PC (16:0/20:1), PC (18:0/18:0) and PC (18:2/20:2) in the serum samples after treatment of TiO2 NPs (50 mg/kg). The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and liver increased significantly, which were positively correlated with most differential lipophilic metabolites.

Conclusions

The gut was presumed to be the original site of oxidative stress and disorder of lipid metabolism, which resulted in hepatotoxicity through the gut-liver axis. Lipid peroxidation may be the initial step of lipid metabolism disorder induced by TiO2 NPs. Most nanomaterials (NMs) have oxidation induction and antibacterial properties, so the toxic pathway revealed in the present study may be primary and universal.