bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The source and fate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in wastewater and possible routes of transmission
Authors: Mtetwa Hlengiwe N. , Amoah Isaac D. , Kumari Sheena , Bux Faizal , Reddy Poovendhree
Published: January 2022

Background

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) consists of causative agents of both human and animal tuberculosis and is responsible for over 10 million annual infections globally. Infections occur mainly through airborne transmission, however, there are possible indirect transmissions through a faecal-oral route which is poorly reported. This faecal-oral transmission could be through the occurrence of the microbe in environments such as wastewater. This manuscript, therefore, reviews the source and fate of MTBC in the wastewater environment, including the current methods in use and the possible risks of infections.

Results

The reviewed literature indicates that about 20% of patients with pulmonary TB may have extra-pulmonary manifestations such as GITB, resulting in shedding in feaces and urine. This could potentially be the reason for the detection of MTBC in wastewater. MTBC concentrations of up to 5.5 × 105 (±3.9 × 105) copies/L of untreated wastewater have been reported. Studies have indicated that wastewater may provide these bacteria with the required nutrients for their growth and could potentially result in environmental transmission. However, 98.6 (± 2.7) %, removal during wastewater treatment, through physical-chemical decantation (primary treatment) and biofiltration (secondary treatment) has been reported. Despite these reports, several studies observed the presence of MTBC in treated wastewater via both culture-dependent and molecular techniques.

Conclusion

The detection of viable MTBC cells in either treated or untreated wastewater, highlights the potential risks of infection for wastewater workers and communities close to these wastewater treatment plants. The generation of aerosols during wastewater treatment could be the main route of transmission. Additionally, direct exposure to the wastewater containing MTBC could potentially contribute to indirect transmissions which may lead to pulmonary or extra-pulmonary infections. This calls for the implementation of risk reduction measures aimed at protecting the exposed populations.
Future healthcare providers and professionalism on social media: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Soubra Rabih , Hasan Ibrahim , Ftouni Louna , Saab Adam , Shaarani Issam
Published: January 2022

Background

Nowadays, social media have become central in the daily lives of people, including healthcare professionals. Fears arise that the accelerated growth of these social platforms was not accompanied by the appropriate training of the healthcare students and workers on the professional use of social media. This study primarily aimed to assess the awareness of the healthcare students at Beirut Arab University, Lebanon on the professional standards of social media. It also aimed to assess the presence of differences in the practices and attitudes of healthcare students according to gender and major.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was designed, and a paper-based questionnaire was distributed to healthcare students. Chi-Square test was used to analyse certain findings.

Results

Out of 1800 students approached, 496 participated in the questionnaire. All participants used social media. Only 19.5% (96/496) of them had received a structured education on the professional use of social media during their university study. The majority of students (349/488, 71.5%) thought that the professional standards on social media are distinct from those established in face-to-face interactions. Female students were more likely to get adequate answers in accordance with international guidelines. There were statistically significant differences in the practices and attitudes of students belonging to different majors (p value < 0.05).

Conclusion

The line between what is professional on social media, and what is not, remains blurred for healthcare students. This study uncovered the need for clear and updated evidence-based guidelines assisting students in making the most appropriate decisions in the various online scenarios faced in healthcare practice.
Effects of the liaison nurse management on the infectious stroke complications: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kalani Zohreh , Ebrahimi Sedigheh , Fallahzadeh Hossein
Published: January 2022

Background

Two of the most serious complications after stroke are pneumonia, and urinary tract infection. Liaison nurse, from hospital admission to discharge and then at home helps patients with complicated caring issues stroke. This study investigates the effect of liaison nurse management on the incidence of pneumonia and urinary tract infection in patients with stroke after discharge from the hospital.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 80 patients in a hospital in Iran. The intervention group was assessed and developed a caring program by the liaison nurse and the control group received routine care. Two weeks and two months after discharge, the patients were evaluated for the incidence of pneumonia and urinary tract infection. Collected data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The two groups were homogenous in terms of mean age; gender frequently distribution and having urinary catheter. The incidence of pneumonia in intervention and control groups (11.6% vs. 19.2%, P = 0.35) had no statistically significant differences, but there was a significant difference in the incidence of urinary tract infection (0% vs. 24.6%, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

With liaison nurse performance, there was a significant difference in the incidence of urinary tract infection, in two months after discharge from hospital, but the incidence of pneumonia had no statistically significant differences in two groups. Nurse’s evaluation each patient individually according to needs, developing and monitoring the home-based care program, beyond overall education to these patients, could reduce some of complications of a stroke.

Trial registration

This study is retrospectively registered by Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with decree code: IRCT20170605034330N3 on April 4, 2018.
A cross-sectional study of knowledge and practices in the management of patients with Parkinson’s disease amongst public practice-based general practitioners and geriatricians
Authors: Lim Isis Claire Z. Y. , Saffari Seyed Ehsan , Neo Shermyn
Published: January 2022

Background

As most patients are likely to first interface with their community general practitioner (GP) or geriatrician for chronic healthcare conditions, these non-neurologists practitioners are well-placed to diagnose, initiate treatment in symptomatic Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, and provide regular and timely management of their PD. However, current studies suggest that the role of the GP and geriatrician in providing holistic care for PD patients may be limited by factors such as patient perceptions, and a lack of knowledge base in the quality measures of care. This paper aims to better understand the different management styles between GPs and geriatricians practicing in public institutions in Singapore, qualify the difficulties they face in providing patient-centric care for PD patients, and identify any gaps in quality measures of care.

Methods

A questionnaire was completed anonymously by GPs (n = 43) and geriatricians (n = 33) based at public institutions, on a voluntary basis before a compulsory didactic teaching on PD. Questions were modelled after quality measures set out by the American Academy of Neurology, specifically eliciting information on falls, non-motor symptoms, exercise regime and medication-related symptoms. “PD management practices and styles” questions were answered by the respondents on a 4-point Likert scale.

Results

Geriatricians spent more time in consult with PD patients compared with GPs (median [Q1-Q3] = 20 [15–30] vs 10 [10–15] minutes,p <  0.001). Geriatricians were more comfortable initiating PD medications than GPs (OR = 11.8 [95% CI: 3.54–39.3],p <  0.001), independent of gender, years of practice and duration of consult. Comfort in initiating dopamine replacement therapy (OR 1.06 [1.00–1.36],p = 0.07; aOR = 1.14 [1.02–1.26],p = 0.02) also increased with physician’s years of practice. Unfamiliarity with the types and/or doses of the medications was the most cited barrier faced by GPs (76.7%). Geriatricians were more likely than GPs to ask about falls (100% vs 86.0%,p = 0.025), non-motor symptoms (75.8% vs 53.5%,p = 0.049) and the patient’s regular physical activities (72.7% vs 41.9%,p = 0.01).

Conclusions

This study identified key patterns in the management practices and styles of non-neurologists physicians, and identified gaps in current practice. Our data suggests that interventions directed at education on PD medication prescriptions and provision of patient PD education, creation of best clinical practice guidelines, and accreditation by national bodies may instil greater confidence in practitioners to initiate and continue patient-centric PD care. A longer consultation duration with PD patients should be considered to allow physicians to get a greater scope of the patient’s needs and better manage them.
Implementation of the Mental Capacity Act: a national observational study comparing resultant trends in place of death for older heart failure decedents with or without comorbid dementia
Authors: Beattie James M. , Higginson Irene J. , McDonagh Theresa A. , Gao Wei
Published: January 2022

Background

Heart failure (HF) is increasingly prevalent in the growing elderly population and commonly associated with cognitive impairment. We compared trends in place of death (PoD) of HF patients with/without comorbid dementia around the implementation period of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) in October 2007, this legislation supporting patient-centred decision making for those with reduced agency.

Methods

Analyses of death certification data for England between January 2001 and December 2018, describing the PoD and sociodemographic characteristics of all people ≥ 65 years registered with HF as the underlying cause of death, with/without a mention of comorbid dementia. We used modified Poisson regression with robust error variance to determine the prevalence ratio (PR) of the outcome in dying at home, in care homes or hospices compared to dying in hospital. Covariates included year of death, age, gender, marital status, comorbidity burden, index of multiple deprivation and urban/rural settings.

Results

One hundred twenty thousand sixty-eight HF-related death records were included of which 8199 mentioned dementia as a contributory cause. The overall prevalence proportion of dementia was 6.8%, the trend significantly increasing from 5.6 to 8.0% pre- and post-MCA (Cochran-Armitage trend test p < 0.0001). Dementia was coded as unspecified (78.2%), Alzheimer’s disease (13.5%) and vascular (8.3%). Demented decedents were commonly older, female, and with more comorbidities. Pre-MCA, PoD for non-demented HF patients was hospital 68.2%, care homes 20.2% and 10.7% dying at home. Corresponding figures for those with comorbid dementia were 47.6%, 48.0% and 4.2%, respectively. Following MCA enforcement, PoD for those without dementia shifted from hospital to home, 62.5% and 17.2%, respectively; PR: 1.026 [95%CI: 1.024–1.029]. While home deaths also rose to 10.0% for those with dementia, with hospital deaths increasing to 50.4%, this trend was insignificant, PR: 1.001 [0.988–1.015]. Care home deaths reduced for all, with/without dementia, PR: 0.959 [0.949–0.969] and PR: 0.996 [0.993–0.998], respectively. Hospice as PoD was rare for both groups with no appreciable change over the study period.

Conclusions

Our analyses suggest the MCA did not materially affect the PoD of HF decedents with comorbid dementia, likely reflecting difficulties implementing this legislation in real-life clinical practice.
Molecular mechanism of benzo [a] pyrene regulating lipid metabolism via aryl hydrocarbon receptor
Authors: Lou Wei , Zhang Meng-di , Chen Qi , Bai Tu-Ya , Hu Yu-Xia , Gao Feng , Li Jun , Lv Xiao-Li , Zhang Qian , Chang Fu-Hou
Published: January 2022

Background

Benzo [a] pyrene (BaP), a potent carcinogen, has been proved that it has toxicological effects via activation the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway. AhR can participate in regulating lipogenesis and lipolysis. This topic will verify whether BaP regulates lipid metabolism via AhR.

Methods

(1) C57BL/6 mice were gavaged with BaP for 12 weeks to detect serum lipids, glucose tolerance, and insulin resistance. Morphological changes in white adipose tissue (WAT) were detected by Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. The mRNA expression levels of adipogenesis-related factors included recombinant human CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and inflammatory factors included nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were detected using PCR. (2) Neutral lipid content changes in differentiated 3 T3-L1 adipocytes treated with BaP with and w/o AhR inhibitor were detected by Oil red staining. The protein expression levels of adipogenesis- and decomposition-related factors included PPARγ coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α), and peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) were detected using western blotting. The mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors were detected using PCR.

Results

(1) BaP inhibited body weight gain, decreased lipid content, increased lipid levels, and decreased glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance in mice; (2) BaP reduced the expressions of C/EBPα, PPARγ, FABP4, PGC-1α, and PPARα and increased the expressions of NF-κB, MCP-1, and TNF-α by activating AhR.

Conclusion

BaP inhibit fat synthesis and oxidation while inducing inflammation by activating AhR, leading to WAT dysfunction and causing metabolic complications.
Acute exposure to gold nanoparticles aggravates lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury by amplifying apoptosis via ROS-mediated macrophage-hepatocyte crosstalk
Authors: Yang Yongjun , Fan Shijun , Chen Qian , Lu Yongling , Zhu Yuanfeng , Chen Xiaoli , Xia Lin , Huang Qianying , Zheng Jiang , Liu Xin
Published: January 2022

Background

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are increasingly utilized in industrial and biomedical fields, thereby demanding a more comprehensive knowledge about their safety. Current toxicological studies mainly focus on the unfavorable biological impact governed by the physicochemical properties of AuNPs, yet the consequences of their interplay with other bioactive compounds in biological systems are poorly understood.

Results

In this study, AuNPs with a size of 10 nm, the most favorable size for interaction with host cells, were given alone or in combination with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice or cultured hepatic cells. The results demonstrated that co exposure to AuNPs and LPS exacerbated fatal acute liver injury (ALI) in mice, although AuNPs are apparently non-toxic when administered alone. AuNPs do not enhance systemic or hepatic inflammation but synergize with LPS to upregulate hepatic apoptosis by augmenting macrophage-hepatocyte crosstalk. Mechanistically, AuNPs and LPS coordinate to upregulate NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and activate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in hepatic macrophages. Extracellular ROS generation from macrophages is then augmented, thereby inducing calcium-dependent ROS generation and promoting apoptosis in hepatocytes. Furthermore, AuNPs and LPS upregulate scavenger receptor A expression in macrophages and thus increase AuNP uptake to mediate further apoptosis induction.

Conclusions

This study reveals a profound impact of AuNPs in aggravating the hepatotoxic effect of LPS by amplifying ROS-dependent crosstalk in hepatic macrophages and hepatocytes.

Graphical Abstract
A comprehensive insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the effects of Propolis on preserving renal function: a systematic review
Authors: Anvarifard Paniz , Anbari Maryam , Ostadrahimi Alireza , Ardalan Mohammadreza , Ghoreishi Zohreh
Published: January 2022

Background

The present systematic review is conducted, focusing on the existing evidence of Propolis's effects due to its various health benefits, mainly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties on preserving renal function.

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, and Google Scholar was undertaken for relevant papers published from the start until January 2021.

Results

This review revealed that Propolis affects fasting blood sugar (FBS), postprandial blood glucose, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) concentrations, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, urinary concentrations of reactive oxygen metabolites (Tbars), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) formation favorably. The findings on hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), β-cell function (HOMA-β), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), and lipid profile were controversial. Moreover, a significant reduction in renal nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), serum immunoglobulins, renal ED-1+ cells, and urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) following Propolis supplementation has been reported, while the results on interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO), nitric oxide synthetase (NOS), and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were controversial. Furthermore, included studies showed its anti- proteinuria and kidney restoring effects.

Conclusion

In this review, both human and animal studies provide us evidences that Propolis could potentially improve the glycemic status, oxidative stress, renal tissue damage, and renal function. Further studies are needed to determine the underlying mechanisms.
Coal dust exposure triggers heterogeneity of transcriptional profiles in mouse pneumoconiosis and Vitamin D remedies
Authors: Mu Min , Li Bing , Zou Yuanjie , Wang Wenyang , Cao Hangbing , Zhang Yajun , Sun Qixian , Chen Haoming , Ge Deyong , Tao Huihui , Hu Dong , Yuan Liang , Tao Xinrong , Wang Jianhua
Published: January 2022

Background

Coal dust particles (CDP), an inevitable by-product of coal mining for the environment, mainly causes coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP). Long-term exposure to coal dust leads to a complex alternation of biological processes during regeneration and repair in the healing lung. However, the cellular and complete molecular changes associated with pulmonary homeostasis caused by respiratory coal dust particles remain unclear.

Methods

This study mainly investigated the pulmonary toxicity of respirable-sized CDP in mice using unbiased single-cell RNA sequencing. CDP (< 5 μm) collected from the coal mine was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Mass Spectrometer. In addition, western blotting, Elisa, QPCR was used to detect gene expression at mRNA or protein levels. Pathological analysis including HE staining, Masson staining, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining were performed to characterize the structure and functional alternation in the pneumoconiosis mouse and verify the reliability of single-cell sequencing results.

Results

SEM image and Mass Spectrometer analysis showed that coal dust particles generated during coal mine production have been crushed and screened with a diameter of less than 5 µm and contained less than 10% silica. Alveolar structure and pulmonary microenvironment were destroyed, inflammatory and death (apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis) pathways were activated, leading to pneumoconiosis in post 9 months coal dust stimulation. A distinct abnormally increased alveolar type 2 epithelial cell (AT2) were classified with a highly active state but reduced the antimicrobial-related protein expression of LYZ and Chia1 after CDP exposure. Beclin1, LC3B, LAMP2, TGF-ß, and MLPH were up-regulated induced by CDP, promoting autophagy and pulmonary fibrosis. A new subset of macrophages with M2-type polarization double expressed MLPH + /CD206 + was found in mice having pneumoconiosis but markedly decreased after the Vitamin D treatment. Activated MLPH + /CD206 + M2 macrophages secreted TGF-β1 and are sensitive to Vitamin D treatment.

Conclusions

This is the first study to reconstruct the pathologic progression and transcriptome pattern of coal pneumoconiosis in mice. Coal dust had obvious toxic effects on lung epithelial cells and macrophages and eventually induced pulmonary fibrosis. CDP-induced M2-type macrophages could be inhibited by VD, which may be related to the alleviation of the pulmonary fibrosis process.
Estimating cancer risks due to whole lungs low dose radiotherapy with different techniques for treating COVID-19 pneumonia
Authors: Banaei Amin , Hashemi Bijan , Bakhshandeh Mohsen
Published: January 2022

Background

Low dose radiotherapy (LDRT) of whole lungs with photon beams is a novel method for treating COVID-19 pneumonia. This study aimed to estimate cancer risks induced by lung LDRT for different radiotherapy delivery techniques.

Method

Four different radiotherapy techniques, including 3D-conformal with anterior and posterior fields (3D-CRT AP–PA), 3D-conformal with 8 coplanar fields (3D-CRT 8 fields), eight fields intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and volumetric modulated arc therapy using 2 full arcs (VMAT) were planned on the CT images of 32 COVID-19 patients with the prescribed dose of 1 Gy to the lungs. Organ average and maximum doses, and PTV dose distribution indexes were compared between different techniques. The radiation-induced cancer incidence and cancer-specific mortality, and cardiac heart disease risks were estimated for the assessed techniques.

Results

In IMRT and VMAT techniques, heart (mean and max), breast (mean, and max), and stomach (mean) doses and also maximum dose in the body were significantly lower than the 3D-CRT techniques. The calculated conformity indexes were similar in all the techniques. However, the homogeneity indexes were lower (i.e., better) in intensity-modulated techniques (P < 0.03) with no significant differences between IMRT and VMAT plans. Lung cancer incident risks for all the delivery techniques were similar (P > 0.4). Cancer incidence and mortality risks for organs located closer to lungs like breast and stomach were higher in 3D-CRT techniques than IMRT or VMAT techniques (excess solid tumor cancer incidence risks for a 30 years man: 1.94 ± 0.22% Vs. 1.68 ± 0.17%; and women: 6.66 ± 0.81% Vs. 4.60 ± 0.43%: cancer mortality risks for 30 years men: 1.63 ± 0.19% Vs. 1.45 ± 0.15%; and women: 3.63 ± 0.44% Vs. 2.94 ± 0.23%).

Conclusion

All the radiotherapy techniques had low cancer risks. However, the overall estimated risks induced by IMRT and VMAT radiotherapy techniques were lower than the 3D-CRT techniques and can be used clinically in younger patients or patients having greater concerns about radiation induced cancers.
Primary care disease management for venous leg ulceration—study protocol for the Ulcus Cruris Care [UCC] randomized controlled trial (DRKS00026126)
Authors: Senft Jonas D. , Fleischhauer Thomas , Frasch Jona , van Rees Wiebke , Feißt Manuel , Schwill Simon , Fink Christine , Poß-Doering Regina , Wensing Michel , Müller-Bühl Uwe , Szecsenyi Joachim
Published: January 2022

Background

Venous leg ulcers (VLU) have a prevalence of 1–2% in developed countries, and affected patients are severely and long-term impaired in daily activities, work, and social participation. Evidence-based outpatient treatment based on compression therapy is frequently not implemented. The “Ulcus Cruris Care” project was established to develop a disease management concept to improve outpatient treatment for patients with VLU in German primary care. For this purpose, a multifaceted intervention was conceived consisting of an online training for general practitioners and medical assistants, standardized treatment recommendations, e-learning and print-based information for patients, and a software support for case management. The main aims of the Ulcus Cruris Care intervention are to promote standardized treatment according to current scientific knowledge, to facilitate case management for VLU patients exerted by medical assistants, and to support patient education and participation in the treatment process. The UCC trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Ulcus Cruris Care intervention.

Methods

The UCC trial is a prospective cluster-randomized controlled multicenter trial. Fifty GP practices are intended to be recruited and randomized 1:1 to intervention or control arm. Patients with venous leg ulcers will be recruited by participating GP practices, to include a total of 63 patients in each arm. The primary outcome is time to ulcer healing. Secondary outcomes comprise number and sizes of ulcers, recurrence, pain intensity according to the visual analog scale, health-related quality of life according to EQ-5D-5L, depressiveness according to Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), patient satisfaction according to the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC-5A) query, and adherence to VLU treatment. The outcome analysis of the UCC trial is accompanied by a health economic analysis and a process evaluation.

Discussion

The UCC trial will evaluate whether the Ulcus Cruris Care intervention may lead to faster wound healing, higher health-related quality of life, and lower use of medical resources. If the intervention turns out to have a positive impact on assessed outcomes, comprehensive implementation in primary care may be considered.

Trial registration

The trial protocol (version 1 as of July 19, 2021) has been registered in the German Clinical Trials Register on August 30, 2021 (DRKS00026126).
Enhanced adaptive code modulation for rainfall fade mitigation in Ethiopia
Authors: Woldamanuel Eyob Mersha , Diba Feyisa Debo
Published: January 2022

Rain attenuation is considerably noticed in a frequency spectrum above 7-GHz for tropical equatorial regions and in a frequency spectrum higher than 10-GHz for temperate climates. The attenuation prediction method provided by the International Telecommunication Union-Recommendation (ITU-R), through Recommendation P.530-16 and P.618-13 utilize data collected from temperate regions. Since the average raindrop size is bigger and the rainfall rate is high in magnitude in tropical regions than that of non-tropical areas, this prediction model is not suitable for the measured rain data. Unfortunately, a rain fade mitigation technique based on local rain data has not been adequately studied in tropical regions. This paper presents an enhanced adaptive code modulation (ACM) for rainfall fade mitigation in Ethiopia. In this research work, locally collected one-minute rain rate data is used to determine the rain attenuation. Then based on this result, the neuro-fuzzy inference system is employed to enhance the mitigation technique. Furthermore, a comparison of the performance of this proposed scheme is with the non-adaptive technique, and fuzzy-based adaptive modulation and coding technique is carried out. MATLAB simulation result showed that lower-order quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) scheme with a lower convolutional coding rate is better in maintaining link availability in bad weather conditions. However, spectral efficiency is improved by utilizing a larger constellation size of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) scheme with a higher convolutional coding rate when the channel is not affected by rain.
The influences of social agents in completing a STEM degree: an examination of female graduates of selective science high schools
Authors: Luo Linlin , Stoeger Heidrun , Subotnik Rena F.
Published: January 2022

Background

Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions. Even the most promising female students’ interest in STEM subjects often decreases during secondary school. Using the framework of the Social Cognitive Career Theory, the present study examined the influences of social agents in female students’ persistence in STEM. Specifically, the present study used a retrospective survey investigating the influence of parental education, teachers as mentors, and peer belonging for female students’ attainment of an undergraduate degree in a STEM field for a special population—female graduates of selective science high schools (n = 1425). Furthermore, the study examined the influences of these social-agent variables on female students’ STEM choices when mediated by high school research experiences. Finally, the present study also explored the influences of these social-agent variables on female students when it came to choosing math-intensive STEM fields (n = 723).

Results

Findings showed that parental educational level and having STEM teachers as mentors are positively related to female students’ later attainment of a STEM degree. In addition to the direct relationship, parental educational level and having STEM teachers as mentors are also positively related to female students’ high school research participation, which is associated with a greater likelihood of their completing a STEM degree. Female students’ sense of belonging to a peer group did not correlate with their attainment of a STEM degree. When it came to choosing math-intensive STEM fields, a higher sense of peer belonging was negatively associated with obtaining a math-intensive STEM degree.

Conclusions

Parental education and having STEM teachers as mentors play an important role for female students’ persistence in STEM and obtaining a STEM undergraduate degree for female students in selective science high schools. However, among the female students who graduated with a STEM degree, it is less clear whether social-agent variables influenced their math-intensive vs. less-math-intensive choices. Educational implications for promoting female students’ STEM interests and careers in STEM fields are provided.
Common peroneal nerve palsy after TKA in valgus deformities; a systematic review
Authors: Puijk Raymond , Rassir Rachid , Kok Laura M. , Sierevelt Inger N. , Nolte Peter A.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the prevalence of Common Peroneal Nerve Palsy after total knee arthroplasty in valgus deformities. Furthermore, the effectiveness of a peroneal nerve release prior to arthroplasty to prevent the palsy will be investigated.

Methods

PubMed and Google Scholar were searched. Search terms regarding valgus deformity and total knee arthroplasty were used. Data analysis and extraction were performed using the web application ‘Rayyan QCRI’ according to PRISMA guidelines and screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results

Twenty-seven studies were included, representing 1397 valgus knees. Knee balancing was performed in 19 studies with lateral soft tissue releases (1164 knees) and 8 studies (233 knees) with an additional osteotomy. Two studies (41 knees) in the lateral soft tissue release group conducted a peroneal nerve release simultaneous to arthroplasty. Common peroneal nerve palsies occurred in 26 cases (1.9%). Overall, no significant difference in palsy ratio between studies was found by using a peroneal nerve release (p = 0.90), between lateral soft tissue releases and osteotomies (p = 0.11) or between releases of specific ligaments.

Conclusion

Common peroneal nerve palsies occur in 1.9% of the cases after total knee arthroplasty in valgus deformities. No difference in the number of palsies was seen when using a peroneal nerve release or using different balancing techniques. However, literature about peroneal nerve releases was very limited, therefore, the effectiveness of a peroneal nerve release remains unclear.

Level of evidence

LEVEL III: Systematic review.
Advances and prospects of genetic mapping of Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton
Authors: AINI Nurimanguli , JIBRIL Abdulaziz Nuhu , LIU Shiming , HAN Peng , PAN Zhenyuan , ZHU Longfu , NIE Xinhui
Published: January 2022

Verticillium wilt is one of the most important diseases affecting cotton production in China. The fungus, Verticillium dahliae, has a wide host range and a high degree of genetic variability. No resistance resources have been found in the available planting resources, thus presenting difficulties and challenges for our study. The long-term production practice shows that selection of disease-resistant varieties is the most economical and effective measure to control Verticillium wilt of cotton to reduce the yield loss and quality decline of cotton. In this paper, we summarized the genetic mapping population, the analysis method of genetic localization, the discovery, mining and cloning of disease-resistant quantitative trait loci/markers, and the analysis of their genetic functions, so as to provide information for the molecular breeding approach of disease-resistant cotton.
Autoantibodies against cytoskeletons and lysosomal trafficking discriminate sarcoidosis from healthy controls, tuberculosis and lung cancers
Authors: Hanoudi Samer Najeeb , Talwar Harvinder , Draghici Sorin , Samavati Lobelia
Published: January 2022

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Hypergammaglobulinemia and the presence of autoantibodies in sarcoidosis suggest active humoral immunity to unknown antigen(s). We developed a complex cDNA library derived from tissues of sarcoidosis patients. Using a high throughput method, we constructed a microarray platform from this cDNA library containing large numbers of sarcoidosis clones. After selective biopanning, 1070 sarcoidosis-specifc clones were arrayed and immunoscreend with 152 sera from patients with sarcoidosis and other pulmonary diseases. To identify the sarcoidosis classifiers two statistical approaches were conducted: First, we identified significant biomarkers between sarcoidosis and healthy controls, and second identified markers comparing sarcoidosis to all other groups. At the threshold of an False Discovery Rate (FDR) < 0.01, we identified 14 clones in the first approach and 12 clones in the second approach discriminating sarcoidosis from other groups. We used the classifiers to build a naïve Bayes model on the training-set and validated it on an independent test-set. The first approach yielded an AUC of 0.947 using 14 significant clones with a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.88, whereas the AUC of the second option was 0.92 with a sensitivity of 0.96 and specificity of 0.83. These results suggest robust classifier performance. Furthermore, we characterized the informative phage clones by sequencing and homology searches. Large numbers of classifier-clones were peptides involved in cellular trafficking and cytoskeletons. These results show that sarcoidosis is associated with a specific pattern of immunoreactivity that can discriminate it from other diseases.
Electrically controllable spin filtering in antiferromagnetic topological insulator tunneling junctions
Authors: Guo Rui , Liu Gen-Hua , Shan Zheng-Ping
Published: January 2022

We study the surface-state band structure and transport property for an antiferromagnetic MnBi2Te4 film with an external electric field vertical to its top surface. The electric field can reduce the gap of surface states induced by a finite-size effect, and restore the chirality of surface states, which may be beneficial to the realization of an axion state. We also demonstrate that an adjustable electric field can not only switch between the spin-up and spin-down electron channels to realize spin filtering, but also close all the electronic channels to realize on-off current in an antiferromagnetic MnBi2Te4 thin film with two junctions.
Scrambler Therapy for the Treatment of Multiple System Atrophy-Parkinsonian Subtype Pain: A Case Report
Authors: Wang Eric J. , Berninger Lauren E. , Pantelyat Alexander Y. , Hunsberger Joann B. , Smith Thomas J.
Published: January 2022

The management of pain in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) is often inadequate, and treatments commonly result in adverse effects. A 63-year-old man with the parkinsonian subtype of MSA presented with bilateral neck, shoulder, upper extremity, lower extremity, and low back pain of 6 years’ duration. His baseline pain was 5 of 10 with flares to 10 of 10. After 4 35-minute scrambler therapy (ST) treatments, his pain was reduced to 0 of 10. His pain relief after 4 ST sessions lasted for 6 weeks. No complications or adverse effects occurred. ST deserves further study for patients with atypical parkinsonism.
Transcription of rRNA in early mouse embryos promotes chromatin reorganization and expression of major satellite repeats
Authors: Chebrout Martine , Koné Maïmouna Coura , Jan Habib U. , Cournut Marie , Letheule Martine , Fleurot Renaud , Aguirre-Lavin Tiphaine , Peynot Nathalie , Jouneau Alice , Beaujean Nathalie , Bonnet-Garnier Amélie
Published: January 2022

During the first cell cycles of early development, the chromatin of the embryo is highly reprogrammed while the embryonic genome starts its own transcription. The spatial organization of the genome is an important process that contributes to regulating gene transcription in time and space. It has, however, been poorly studied in the context of early embryos. To study the cause-and-effect link between transcription and spatial organization in embryos, we focused on ribosomal genes, which are silent initially but start to be transcribed in 2-cell mouse embryos. We demonstrated that ribosomal sequences and early unprocessed rRNAs are spatially organized in a very particular manner between 2-cell and 16-cell stage. By using drugs that interfere with ribosomal DNA transcription, we showed that this organization – which is totally different in somatic cells – depends on an active transcription of ribosomal genes and induces a unique chromatin environment that favors transcription of major satellite sequences once the 4-cell stage has been reached.
Pseudoperonospora cubensis development under differentiated nitrogen and potassium fertilization of Cucumis sativus
Authors: Παπαδάκη Αναστασία
Published: January 2022

Στην εργασία αυτή μελετήθηκε η επίδραση της λίπανσης με άζωτο και κάλιο στην ανάπτυξη του περονόσπορου της αγγουριάς, με σκοπό να εξεταστεί η πιθανότητα εναλλακτικής μεθόδου ελέγχου της ασθένειας, δεδομένου ότι η αγγουριά είναι μεγάλης οικονομικής σημασίας λαχανοκομική καλλιέργεια στην Κρήτη και ο περονόσπορος θεωρείται από τις πιο καταστροφικές ασθένειες που προσβάλουν την καλλιέργεια αυτή. Έτσι, τέσσερα πειράματα σε συνθήκες θερμοκηπίου διεξάχθηκαν προκειμένου: α) να μελετηθεί η επίδραση της συγκέντρωσης σπορίων του μύκητα Pseudoperonospora cubensis στην εμφάνιση της ασθένειας σε διαφορετικής ηλικίας φύλλα, β) να εξεταστεί η επίδραση των συγκεντρώσεων Κ και Ν στο διάλυμα λίπανσης στην ανάπτυξη της ασθένειας και στην επιφάνεια των φύλλων γ) να μελετηθεί η πιθανότητα αλληλεπίδρασης των δύο θρεπτικών στοιχείων Ν και Κ σε σχέση με την εφαρμογή μυκητοκτόνου που χρησιμοποιείται για τον έλεγχο της ασθένειας, δ) να προσδιοριστεί το μοντέλο ανάπτυξης της ασθένειας, ε) να διερευνηθεί η θρεπτική κατάσταση των φυτικών ιστών της αγγουριάς και του υποστρώματος. Τα φυτά αγγουριάς (ποικιλία Κνωσσού) καλλιεργήθηκαν υπό συνθήκες διαφοροποιημένης λίπανσης Ν και Κ, σε δύο τυχαιοποιημένα πειράματα, αντίστοιχα. Επίσης, εγκαταστάθηκαν δύο παραγοντικά πειράματα, με επεμβάσεις τρία επίπεδα συγκέντρωσης σπορίων του μύκητα P. Cubensis x δύο στάδια ανάπτυξης φύλλων καθώς και δύο επίπεδα Ν x 3 Κ και δύο επεμβάσεις με μυκητοκτόνο, αντίστοιχα. Τα φυτά μολύνθηκαν τεχνητά με τον μύκητα P. Cubensis και η ασθένεια εκτιμήθηκε ψηφιακά. Η στατιστική ανάλυση των δεδομένων υποδεικνύει ότι ο μύκητας P. cubensis προσέβαλε τα φύλλα της αγγουριάς ανεξάρτητα από την ηλικία τους. Η επιφάνεια των κηλίδων αυξήθηκε σημαντικά όταν αυξήθηκε η συγκέντρωση των σπορίων του μύκητα σε χαμηλά επίπεδα ασθένειας. Η συγκέντρωση 300 ppm N είχε θετική επίδραση στην επιφάνεια των φύλλων της αγγουριάς όταν συγκρίθηκε με τα χαμηλά επίπεδα Ν. Υπήρξαν ενδείξεις ότι η ασθένεια μειώθηκε στατιστικώς σημαντικά στα φυτά αγγουριάς που λιπάνθηκαν με 300 ppm N, 300 και 400 ppm K. Ωστόσο, αλληλεπίδραση N και Κ παρατηρήθηκε όσο αναφορά την επιφάνεια των φύλλων και των κηλίδων. Έτσι, ανάσχεση της μόλυνσης παρατηρήθηκε σε αυξημένα επίπεδα Κ μόνο σε χαμηλές συγκεντρώσεις Ν. Ο καλύτερος συνδυασμός για τον περιορισμό της ασθένειας ήταν 200 ppm N και 400 ppm K, ο οποίος έδωσε αποτελέσματα συγκρίσιμα με τα αυτά του μυκητοκτόνου. Επίσης προέκυψε το κυβικό μοντέλο ανάπτυξης της ασθένειας σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις (επεμβάσεις με Ν και Κ, εφαρμογή μυκητοκτόνου). Οι συγκεντρώσεις των θρεπτικών στα φύλλα και το έδαφος είχαν μια έμμεση επίδραση στην ανάπτυξη της επιφάνειας των φύλλων και των κηλίδων της ασθένειας.
Synthetic time series data generation for edge analytics
Authors: Kannan Subarmaniam
Published: January 2022

Background: Internet of Things (IoT) edge analytics enables data computation and  storage to be available adjacent to the source of data generation at the IoT system. This method improves sensor data handling and speeds up analysis, prediction, and action. Using machine learning for analytics and task offloading in edge servers could minimise latency and energy usage. However, one of the key challenges in using machine learning in edge analytics is to find a real-world dataset to implement a more representative predictive model. This challenge has undeniably slowed down the adoption of machine learning methods in IoT edge analytics. Thus, the generation of realistic synthetic datasets can leverage the need to speed up methodological use of machine learning in edge analytics.

Methods: We create synthetic data with features that are like data from IoT devices. We use an existing air quality dataset that includes temperature and gas sensor measurements. This real-time dataset includes component values for the Air Quality Index (AQI) and ppm concentrations for various polluting gases. We build a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) model to capture the distribution of variables and the structure of this real dataset to generate the synthetic data. Based on the synthetic dataset and original dataset, we create a comparative predictive model.

Results: Analysis of synthetic dataset predictive model shows that it can be successfully used for edge analytics purposes, replacing real-world datasets. There is no significant difference between the real-world dataset compared the synthetic dataset. The generated synthetic data requires no modification to suit the edge computing requirements.

Conclusions: The framework can generate representative synthetic datasets based on JSON schema attributes. The accuracy, precision, and recall values for the real and synthetic datasets indicate that the logistic regression model is capable of successfully classifying data.
What can we experience and report on a rapidly presented image? Intersubjective measures of specificity of freely reported contents of consciousness
Authors: Chuyin Zhang , Koh Zhao Hui , Gallagher Regan , Nishimoto Shinji , Tsuchiya Naotsugu
Published: January 2022

Background: A majority of previous studies appear to support a view that human observers can only perceive coarse information from a natural scene image when it is presented rapidly (<100ms, masked). In these studies, participants were often forced to choose an answer from options that experimenters preselected. These options can underestimate what participants experience and can report on it. The current study aims to introduce a novel methodology to investigate how detailed information participants can report after briefly seeing a natural scene image.    

Methods: We used a novel free-report paradigm to examine what people can freely report following a rapidly presented natural scene image (67/133/267ms, masked). N = 670 online participants typed up to five words to report what they saw in the image together with confidence of the respective responses. We developed a novel index, Intersubjective Agreement (IA). IA quantifies how specifically the response words were used to describe the target image, with a high value meaning the word is not often reported for other images. Importantly, IA eliminates the need for experimenters to preselect response options.

Results: The words with high IA values are often something detailed (e.g., a small object) in a particular image. With IA, unlike commonly believed, we demonstrated that participants reported highly specific and detailed aspects of the briefly (even at 67ms, masked) shown image. Further, IA is positively correlated with confidence, indicating metacognitive conscious access to the reported aspects of the image.

Conclusion: These new findings challenge the dominant view that the content of rapid scene experience is limited to global and coarse gist. Our novel paradigm opens a door to investigate various contents of consciousness with a free-report paradigm.
The importance of personality traits for predicting clinical clerkship grades and USMLE scores
Authors: Tucker Matthew A. , Griffeth Benjamin T. , Lee Christy , Buchanan April O.
Published: January 2022

Background: Important aspects of medical school success are thought to rely on non-cognitive attributes such as personality traits.

Methods: In a sample of medical students who completed their 3rd-year clerkships, the current study examined the impact of personality traits on performance on four measures of 3rd-year clerkship grades and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2CK (Clinical Knowledge) scores.

Results: We found that specific personality traits, including conscientiousness, achievement-striving, morality, and self-efficacy predicted multiple outcome measures, including Step 2CK performance. However, while we observed a clear link between personality and success during the 3rd year, we also found that Step 1 scores, not specific or grouped personality traits, best predicted all measures of clerkship performance except clerkship evaluations and, as expected, best predicted Step 2CK performance. Additionally, we created a composite personality profile for our sample by averaging the high and low scores of the Big Five personality trait scales and their subscales. However, this personality composite, which included the traits agreeableness, cooperation, Conscientiousness, and cautiousness, did not predict any of our outcome measures.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that personality traits individually and in combination predict 3rd year medical school success, especially when performance may rely less on intellectual prowess, and more on personality factors. Importantly, however, Step 1 scores were usually much better predictors not only of Step 2CK and shelf exam performance, but even overall clerkship grades and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) performance. We hope these results can be used to help clerkship directors and faculty understand that personality factors impact medical school performance and that they should be considered when evaluating the more non-cognitive aspects of student achievement.