bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crise de la Covid-19, démocratie et intelligence collective
Authors: Duchemann Benoît
Published: October 2022

La pandémie de la Covid-19 qui sévit depuis le début de l’année 2020 a constitué un véritable défi pour les organisations de santé tant nationales qu’internationales. Face à la diffusion fulgurante du virus, ces organisations se sont vu imposer une démarche de management de crise nécessitant le développement et la mise en œuvre de réponses sanitaires innovantes. Au-delà de la nature même des inventions ainsi mises en œuvre, il y a eu une articulation spécifique de l’intervention des différentes infrastructures scientifiques, industrielles et politiques, rendant possibles leur émergence et, in fine , la gestion et la maîtrise de la crise. Dans cette temporalité particulière, la décision politique s’est explicitement appuyée sur un discours officiel de légitimation scientifique. Elle a néanmoins aussi constitué un processus de confiscation de la chose publique, s’affranchissant implicitement de la délibération démocratique et de la transparence qui lui sont pourtant nécessaires, jetant finalement un doute sur les modalités de l’articulation entre l’industriel et le politique et sur son objectivité, et un voile sur ses biais éventuels. En avril et mai 2021, parallèlement à l’action publique, une collaboration entre le MIT Center for Collective Intelligence (MCI), le Community Biotechnology Initiative at MIT Media Lab et le laboratoire pharmaceutique Merck a permis de lancer une expérience d’intelligence collective auprès de plus de 200 experts en sciences, santé publique et politiques publiques pour répondre aux défis de santé qui avaient pu émerger lors de la pandémie, en particulier celui de l’infodémie qui a donné lieu à une véritable crise de légitimité de la gouvernance de la santé publique. Si ce projet innovant propose un procédé hybride d’optimisation de la décision publique, les conditions de sa prétention à la vérité semblent exagérées. Outre l’opacité épistémique dans laquelle les recommandations sont formulées, le défaut de transparence des motivations et de rationalité des actions engagées entrave cette technique managériale dans sa capacité à lutter contre une infodémie et à rétablir un équilibre explicite entre principes démocratiques de justice et efficacité de la gouvernance publique.
Intelligence artificielle et Covid-19, ou les limites du « solutionnisme technologique »
Authors: Brault Nicolas
Published: October 2022

Dès le début de la pandémie de Covid-19, le recours à l’intelligence artificielle et aux données massives apparaît aux yeux de nombreux scientifiques et responsables politiques dans le monde comme la solution ultime pour gérer la pandémie et ses conséquences. Or, après plus de deux ans et quelque quinze millions de morts, l’intelligence artificielle n’a pas tenu ses promesses. En réalité, elle ne pouvait pas les tenir, et ce pour deux raisons : d’abord, en raison de problèmes liés à la validité des données et de leur traitement algorithmique, et au risque de biais inhérent aux données massives ; ensuite, du fait que le paradigme épidémiologique de la pandémie n’est pas le bon, et qu’il convient de lui préférer celui de la « syndémie », la pandémie reflétant les inégalités économiques et sociales tout en les aggravant. Ainsi, ni une solution purement biomédicale ni une solution purement technologique ne peuvent fonctionner : il faut adopter une approche biosociale qui permet aux sociétés de vivre avec le virus, tout en protégeant les populations les plus vulnérables.
Le conseil scientifique Covid-19 : une approche épistémologique
Authors: Tirard Stéphane
Published: October 2022

Le conseil scientifique Covid-19 a été mis en place le 10 mars 2020 pour permettre « au gouvernement de disposer des dernières informations scientifiques afin de l’aider dans ses décisions. » Dans les avis et les notes produits par cette instance, les modalités de l’argumentation et de l’administration de la preuve montrent des spécificités qui appellent une analyse. Elles semblent adaptées à leurs conditions d’élaboration et à la destination de ces textes. Il s’avère que deux niveaux de preuves sont simultanément mobilisés : le premier est constitué par les preuves puisées dans la littérature scientifique et dans des rapports, il est directement fondé sur des données scientifiques. Le second, plus rhétorique, est celui de l’organisation et de la formulation d’un discours de justification visant à prouver la justesse et la cohérence des propres propos du conseil. Dans le présent article, nous proposons de souligner les tensions épistémologiques engendrées par cette double nécessité.
L’accès à l’eau en temps de crise sanitaire : le service public à l’épreuve de la Covid-19 en Guyane
Authors: Thébaux Priscilla , Davy Damien , Euzen Agathe
Published: October 2022

Pour permettre aux habitants des quartiers informels de respecter les gestes barrières, les autorités publiques guyanaises ont mis en place un dispositif gratuit d’accès à l’eau potable. Dans un contexte de manque d’accès chronique à cette ressource essentielle, nous questionnons les enjeux multiples auxquels ce dispositif vient répondre et son impact dans la construction du service public en Guyane. Notre enquête exploratoire a été menée, en 2020, auprès d’habitants et d’acteurs en charge du service considéré. Nous montrons comment, dans ce contexte d’urgence, les acteurs « classiques » du service public ont joué un rôle secondaire, laissant la place à de nouveaux acteurs. Aussi, la mise en place du dispositif revêt une forme singulière dépendant de choix techniques et politiques. Dans les usages, il répond aussi à des enjeux pratiques et symboliques. Si le point de départ de son installation est la lutte contre la propagation du virus, il doit désormais s’insérer dans les logiques propres au service public d’eau potable.
Multiple positive solutions for a bi-nonlocal Kirchhoff-Schr$ \ddot{\mathrm{o}} $dinger-Poisson system with critical growth
Authors: Tian Guaiqi , Suo Hongmin , An Yucheng
Published: October 2022

In this article, we study the following bi-nonlocal Kirchhoff-Schr$ \ddot{\mathrm{o}} $dinger-Poisson system with critical growth:

   \begin{document}$ \begin{equation*} \begin{cases} -\left( \int_{\Omega}|\nabla u|^2dx\right)^r\Delta u+\phi u = u^5+\lambda\left( \int_{\Omega}F(x, u)dx\right)^sf(x, u), & \mathrm{in}\ \ \Omega, \\ -\Delta\phi = u^2, u>0, & \mathrm{in}\ \ \Omega, \\ u = \phi = 0, & \mathrm{on}\ \ \partial\Omega, \end{cases} \end{equation*} $\end{document}

where $ \Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^3 $ is a smooth bounded domain, $ \lambda > 0 $, $ 0\leq r < 1 $, $ 0 < s < \frac{1-r}{3(r+1)} $ and $ f(x, u) $ satisfies some suitable assumptions. By using the concentration compactness principle, the multiplicity of positive solutions for the above system is established.
Controlled dynamics of a chemotaxis model with logarithmic sensitivity by physical boundary conditions
Authors: Xue Ling , Zhang Min , Zhao Kun , Zheng Xiaoming
Published: October 2022

We study the global dynamics of large amplitude classical solutions to a system of balance laws, derived from a chemotaxis model with logarithmic sensitivity, subject to time-dependent boundary conditions. The model is supplemented with $ H^2 $ initial data and unmatched boundary conditions at the endpoints of a one-dimensional interval. Under suitable assumptions on the boundary data, it is shown that classical solutions exist globally in time. Time asymptotically, the differences between the solutions and their corresponding boundary data converge to zero, as time goes to infinity. No smallness restrictions on the magnitude of the initial perturbations is imposed. Numerical simulations are carried out to explore some topics that are not covered by the analytical results.
Uniform stability result of laminated beams with thermoelasticity of type Ⅲ
Authors: Apalara Tijani A. , Ige Aminat O. , Enyi Cyril D. , Omaba Mcsylvester E.
Published: October 2022

In this work, we study the effect of heat conduction theories pioneered by Green and Naghdi, popularly called thermoelasticity of type Ⅲ, on the stability of laminated Timoshenko beams. Without the structural (interfacial slip) damping or any other forms of damping mechanisms, we establish an exponential stability result depending on the equality of wave velocities of the system. Our work shows that the thermal effect is strong enough to stabilize the system exponentially without any additional internal or boundary dampings. The result extends some of the developments in literature where structural damping (in addition to some internal or boundary dampings) is necessary to bring about exponential stability.
A data-driven medical knowledge discovery framework to predict the length of ICU stay for patients undergoing craniotomy based on electronic medical records
Authors: Wang Shaobo , Li Jun , Wang Qiqi , Jiao Zengtao , Yan Jun , Liu Youjun , Yu Rongguo
Published: October 2022

Craniotomy is an invasive operation with great trauma and many complications, and patients undergoing craniotomy should enter the ICU for monitoring and treatment. Based on electronic medical records (EMR), the discovery of high-risk multi-biomarkers rather than a single biomarker that may affect the length of ICU stay (LoICUS) can provide better decision-making or intervention suggestions for clinicians in ICU to reduce the high medical expenses of these patients and the medical burden as much as possible. The multi-biomarkers or medical decision rules can be discovered according to some interpretable predictive models, such as tree-based methods. Our study aimed to develop an interpretable framework based on real-world EMRs to predict the LoICUS and discover some high-risk medical rules of patients undergoing craniotomy. The EMR datasets of patients undergoing craniotomy in ICU were separated into preoperative and postoperative features. The paper proposes a framework called Rules-TabNet (RTN) based on the datasets. RTN is a rule-based classification model. High-risk medical rules can be discovered from RTN, and a risk analysis process is implemented to validate the rules discovered by RTN. The performance of the postoperative model was considerably better than that of the preoperative model. The postoperative RTN model had a better performance compared with the baseline model and achieved an accuracy of 0.76 and an AUC of 0.85 for the task. Twenty-four key decision rules that may have impact on the LoICUS of patients undergoing craniotomy are discovered and validated by our framework. The proposed postoperative RTN model in our framework can precisely predict whether the patients undergoing craniotomy are hospitalized for too long (more than 15 days) in the ICU. We also discovered and validated some key medical decision rules from our framework.
Measuring China's urban digital economy
Authors: Ma Jiehua , Li Zhenghui
Published: October 2022

Digital economy is the core driver of high-quality economic development. How to evaluate the development of the digital economy reasonably and scientifically has become a top priority. Taking 278 prefecture-level cities in the Chinese Mainland from 2010 to 2020 as the research subject, this paper first constructs the digital economy indicator system of Chinese cities from four dimensions: digital industry, digital users, digital innovation, and digital platforms. Then, this paper adopts the gray-target entropy weight method to calculate the digital economy index and sub-indexes of Chinese cities. Finally, this paper analyzes the development of China's urban digital economy from the statistical characteristics and development trends of the index and sub-indexes. The results show that China's urban digital economy and the four dimensions, have experienced stable development from 2010 to 2020, but there is regional heterogeneity. This is mainly reflected in the differences in the development speed of different cities in these dimensions, making the gap among different cities expanding year by year. Additionally, from the perspective of city types, central cities have unique advantages in the development of digital economy, taking a leading position in all dimensions of the digital economy, while non-central cities have great potential for developing digital economy.
“What the Mountain Taught Me This August”: René Daumal’s (Meta)physical Alpinism
Authors: Kopf Martina
Published: October 2022

French writer René Daumal’s (1908–1944) unfinished novel, Mount Analogue (Le Mont Analogue, 1952), tells of a group of mountaineers who set out to find an invisible mountain, the Analogue. All mountains have lost their analogical power, and thus a new mountain is needed. Daumal’s mountain serves a metaphysical goal and is linked to the desire for a change of consciousness, to be achieved through conquering the mountain. Even as a student, Daumal sought to expand his consciousness, not only through experimenting with drugs but also by means of sleep deprivation and somnambulism. In this regard, he was influenced by the Russian-Armenian esotericist George I. Gurdjieff (1866?–1949). Gurdjieff dealt with altered states of consciousness; he believed that the real world is hidden from us behind the wall of our imagination and that we therefore live a mechanical existence that we must break up by reaching our authentic selves. Mount Analogue is about this change of consciousness, and its ascent can be regarded as a metaphysical adventure. Daumal was also a passionate mountaineer who viewed mountains as a source of inspiration, stimulation, and physical adventure, but also as a place for recreation where he could rest his brain and heal his body, which was ill with tuberculosis. The idea for Mount Analogue came to him during a stay in the Alps in 1937. This contribution traces the genesis of Mount Analogue as an interplay between a physical and a metaphysical adventure.
The Last Mountain and the Last Words of Jerzy Kukuczka: The Mountaineer’s Diary as Panorama and Oligopticon
Authors: Pacukiewicz Marek
Published: October 2022

During his last expedition and just before his death on the South Face of Lhotse, the world-renowned Polish high-altitude climber Jerzy Kukuczka wrote a brief diary that provokes some general questions concerning the inner motivation of a mountaineer, but also the nature of mountaineering literature, to which the diary belongs. The laconic style of the diary suggests, following Philippe Lejeune, an invisible galaxy of the untold and unknown context beyond the text. Instead of reducing the diary to a literary text, the article attempts to treat it as a kind of logical tool that creates a cultural model of the world. Applying the anthropological concept of the collective, it analyzes Kukuczka’s diary as a kind of ontological mediation between nature and culture. Following Bruno Latour, the diary can be seen as both an oligopticon and a panorama, combining the richness of a partial network of collectives created in the process of climbing with the general view of the setting as the substantial entity of the mountain.
Establishment of FANETs Using IoT-Based UAV and Its Issues Related to Mobility and Authentication
Authors: R. Uma Mageswari , Krishnan Nallarasu , Yoosuf Mohammed Sirajudeen , K. Murugan , C. Sankar Ram
Published: October 2022

The tremendous evolution of wireless communication as well as the drastic adoption of technology by the latest computing devices known to be IoT, makes it possible for emerging applications to providing ubiquitous services. This technique transformed the quality of present lifestyle of the people. When compared with all other technologies, the mobile adhoc networks become widely adapted in many fields because of the non-requirement of centralized infrastructure support. Adopting this nature, it became easy to establish networks like WSN and also form networks using IoT devices. As FANET (flying/fast adhoc network) is known for its mobility and instant formation of network with the help of available nodes within its communication range, there is a great challenge related to mobility and authenticity of the participating devices by exempting malicious nodes. FANETs incorporate unmanned aerial vehicles and drones as a part of their communication networks. In this chapter, deployment of IoT-based FANETs along with mobility and security is handled.
One Space for Two Justice Praxes in Nigeria
Authors: Ayodele Johnson Oluwole , Adebusuyi Jane Roli
Published: October 2022

The Yoruba people have unwritten normative, proverb-driven traditional jurisprudence to resolve all emerging disputes. Regrettably, colonialism suddenly emerged to compel the Yoruba people to drop their restorative treatment of the primary justice stakeholders and replace it with the castigatory European justice paradigm. This chapter studies the inclusive character of the traditional justice system of the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria. It collected secondary data from the internet and archival sources. Data analysis indicates that including the victims, offenders, and the community in conflict management enhances the Yoruba traditional conflict resolution skills. To creatively halt the miscarriage of justice in postcolonial Yorubaland, policymakers should transform the justice systems to ground solutions for disputes in local realities. Also, both justice systems should replace competition with cooptation and embrace a symbiotic restorative response to dispute resolution for the deepening of Yoruba jurisprudence.
The Drum Speaks
Authors: White Shield Rosemary , Robinson Rod
Published: October 2022

Many aspects of global Indigenous wisdom teach us that true justice is a spiritual force that allows for the ebb and flow of balance to enter and sustain human reality. Within this form of justice is the organic movement of healing and restoration for the continuation of life. Indigenous perspectives on the concept and practice of restorative justice are often expressed as a process that acts to open a pathway for justice intended to restore balance and to engage the healing process for individuals, families, communities, and creation. The chapter presents the kinship system model as a non-linear structure within an indigenous paradigm to reference principles of restorative justice, therapeutic jurisprudence, and Indigenous wisdom through a non-colonial process of discernment, understanding, and ways of knowing.
Culture as a Critical Enabler for Tourism Destination Development
Authors: Presutti Manuela , Barbini Francesco , Ferdinandi Massimo , Cattabiani Jessica
Published: October 2022

The relationship between cultural heritage and tourism has stimulated the theoretical debate for many years. While it is evident that cultural attractions have the potential to be critical assets for tourism policymakers and destinations, tourist behaviors are often seen as potential harm to both the preservation of cultural heritage and the development of a profound cultural experience. Nevertheless, a growing number of experiences show that a sound management of cultural tourism can generate substantial social, economic, and even environmental benefits. This chapter aims to investigate the trajectories and strategies tourism destinations can adopt to leverage their (material and immaterial) cultural assets, improve their brand, and eventually, enhance their competitive position in the tourism markets, with particular reference to the case of Parma Italian Capital of Culture 2020.
Evaluation of the Disaster Tourism Potential of Countries
Authors: Göktekin Zekiye , Şimşek Ahmet Bahadır
Published: October 2022

Disasters are tragic events that cause losses. The curiosity of people to feel sadness and pain motivates disaster tourism. Each disaster region has the potential for disaster tourism, which offers various benefits. This chapter covers the evaluation of the disaster tourism potential of countries with the fuzzy-TOPSIS method. The criteria affecting the disaster tourism potential as the number of dead, injured, affected, and homeless people were weighted according to the evaluations of the decision-makers. Disasters that occurred worldwide between 1980-2022 were analyzed with the criteria weights based on the countries where they occurred. Decision-makers mostly evaluated the number of deaths and homeless as more effective in affecting the desire to visit a disaster area and the attractiveness of the region. Among 90 countries, it has been determined that Sri Lanka and the Russian Federation are the two countries with the highest disaster tourism potential as to the number of losses/disasters, while Ethiopia is the country with the lowest disaster tourism potential.
COVID-19 and Employee Psychological Distress
Authors: Singh Riann , Ramdeo Shalini
Published: October 2022

Mental health issues have been persistent for decades and represent a costly burden across both developing and developed nations. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified such issues, especially psychological distress, in ways never experienced before across the globe. Employee psychological distress, synonymous with emotional suffering, is a crucial determinant in employees' overall physical health and contributes to overall decreased productivity in the workplace. Since pandemic outbreaks have lasting effects, developing a mentally resilient workforce is of utmost importance to manage employee psychological distress. Mental resilience enhances one's ability to manage, survive, and even grow within challenging environments. Against this background, the chapter explores the relationship between crises such as COVID-19, psychological distress, and the associated negative work outcomes. Finally, strategies for building a mentally resilient workforce are recommended.
Role of Machine and Deep Learning Techniques in Diabetic Retinopathy Detection
Authors: Nagula Jagan Mohan , R. Murugan , Goel Tripti
Published: October 2022

Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques play a significant role in diabetic retinopathy (DR) detection via grading the severity levels or segmenting the retinal lesions. High sugar levels in the blood due to diabetes causes DR, a leading cause of blindness. Manual detection or grading of the DR requires ophthalmologists' expertise and consumes time prone to human errors. Therefore, using fundus images, the ML and DL algorithms help automatic DR detection. The fundus imaging analysis helps the early DR detection, controlling, and treatment evaluation of DR conditions. Knowing the fundus image analysis requires a strong knowledge of the system and ML and DL functionalities in computer vision. DL in fundus imaging is a rapidly expanding research area. This chapter presents the fundus images, DR, and its severity levels. Also, this chapter explains the performance analysis of the various ML DL-based DR detection techniques. Finally, the role of ML and DL techniques in DR detection or severity grading is discussed.
Biocompatibility of Polymyxin B Sulfate Based on Sodium Deoxycholate Sulfate Formulations with Kidney Cell Lines, Macrophage Cells, and Red Blood Cells
Authors: Kaewpaiboon Sunisa , Nakpheng Titpawan , Srichana Teerapol
Published: October 2022

Antibiotic-resistant has emerged without new drug challenges. Polymyxin B (PMB) was the last resort therapy for multiple-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, the toxicity of PMB including nephrotoxicity (61%) and neurotoxicity (7%) was dose-limitation. PMB-based sodium deoxycholate sulfate (SDCS) formulations were prepared in the 2-different mole ratios of SDCS to PMB (5:1 and 10:1). Particle size, zeta-potential, and drug content were evaluated. The biocompatibility of PMB formulations was investigated with normal human primary renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (PCS-400-010), human kidney epithelial cell lines (HEK 293T/17), human kidney cell lines (WT 9-12), macrophage-like cells (RAW 264.7) and red blood cells (RBC). PMB formulations had smaller particle sizes and lower zeta-potential when compared to PMB. PMB content presented from 97-100% after lyophilization. PMB-SDCS formulations revealed lower toxicity to cell lines than PMB, especially SDCS: PMB (5:1) and low lysis of RBC. PMB-SDCS mixture had better biocompatibility than those PMB and SDCS alone.
A Model for Residual Stress in the Dry Turning of Duplex Stainless Steels
Authors: Deshpande Naresh C. , Vasudevan Hari
Published: October 2022

Machining induced tensile residual stress of components made from Duplex Stainless Steel (DSS) is a major factor affecting their functional performance. This work used a multi-regression modeling approach for establishing the relationship amongst process parameters of turning operation and residual stress for standard DSS components. Four turning parameters namely, cutting speed, cutting depth, rate of feed & radius of tool nose were varied. Each of the selected parameters had three levels of values. The influence of these variations on residual stress was noted. Experiments were performed using Definitive Screening Design (DSD). Surface residual stress was measured using X-ray diffraction method. Step Wise regression approach with forward selection of terms and alpha value of 0.25 resulted in a quadratic model with R square value of 94.8 %. Validation experiment with new specimens yielded prediction accuracy of 88%.
Medium Formulation and Fed-Batch Cultivation of Methylosinus trichosporium
Authors: Dubencovs Konstantins , Šuleiko Artūrs , Šuleiko Anastasija , Glukhikh Sergey , Vanags Juris
Published: October 2022

Methanotrophs display the ability to consume methane as a carbon source and produce a wide-range of high-value products, e.g. ectoine/hydroxyectoine, poly-b-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), single cell protein, extracellular polysaccharides and lipids. Usually methanotrophs show low specific substrate consumption rates, which restricts their application at pilot and industrial scale. Thus, in order to reduce the time and costs of the cultivation process, it is vital to accelerate the growth of applied organisms. Usually, methanotrophic bacteria cultivations are carried out using fully synthetic mineral mediums (nitrate mineral salts medium (NMS)) without the addition of any growth factors. Potentially, higher biomass growth and substrate uptake rates can be achieved by supplementing the growth medium with vitamins, amino acids etc. or by using more bioavailable substrates.The aim of our research was to study the influence of growth factors such as vitamins, and different nitrogen sources (yeast extract, yeast nitrogen base with/without amino acids and tryptone) on the growth of Methylomonas methanica, Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum and Methylosinus trishosporium.Experiments for studying the influence of growth factors were carried out in shake flasks by varying the medium compositions and analyzing the effects of said variations on the kinetics of the cultivation, e.g. specific biomass growth rate and biomass yield from substrate.Subsequent tests of the developed nutrient medium, which promotes higher biomass growth rates, were carried out in laboratory 5 L bioreactor Methylosinus trishosporium cultivations to study the main process parameters.From the statistical analysis of experimental data it was observed, that supplementation of the growth medium with yeast extract or tryptone, seems to promote the growth rate of methanotrophs, when methanol is used as the main substrate. Furthermore, specific growth rates observed during cultivations in mediums containing vitamins (including cobolamin) also seem to positively affect the biomass growth rate. Based on the results of lab-scale bioreactor cultivations, using the identified medium composition it was possible to achieve a maximal biomass specific growth rate of 0.15 L⸱h‑1 and productivity of 0.16 g⸱L-1⸱h-1.
Antioxidant Activity of Lignocellulose Pyrolysis by-Products after Levoglucosan Separation
Authors: Meile Kristine , Volkova Evita , Jermolajeva Anastasija , Zhurinsh Aivars
Published: October 2022

Fast pyrolysis of pre-treated lignocellulose gives a high yield of levoglucosan and other anhydrosugars, which are considered as the main product. However, the chemical composition of the liquid pyrolysis products is a complex mixture of hundreds of individual compounds. To implement the biorefinery principles, it is important to find applications for the side-streams which arise during levoglucosan production. First, we separated the anhydrosugars by eluting the pyrolysis product water solution through an anion exchange resin column. The anhydrosugars were eluted, but the aromatic by-products were adsorbed on the resin. The by-products were desorbed from the resin with a mixture of methanol/water/acetic acid, and the chemical composition of the obtained by-products was analyzed by UHPLC-UV, and the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Alternatively, the pyrolysis products were separated by crystallization, which yielded levoglucosan with >90% purity, and a mother liquor enriched with aromatic chemical compounds. The antioxidant activity in all samples was evaluated by the DPPH method with corrections to compensate for the color of the by-product samples, which interfered with the UV/VIS spectrophotometry readings.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Inhibitors from Urtica Dioica to Develop Herbal-Based Therapeutics Against COVID-19
Authors: Upreti Shobha , Prusty Jyoti Sankar , Kumar Awanish , Samant Mukesh
Published: October 2022

Objective:

The high transmission rate and mutations of SARS-CoV-2 have made it a global pandemic, and the shortage of any effective clinical treatment has created such a commotion. There are some synthetic antiviral drugs, such as remdesivir and lopinavir that are being repurposed to treat SARS-CoV-2, but all of these demonstrate extreme side effects in humans. Hence, promoting herbal-based drug development has become crucial as they are cost-effective and have lesser or no side effects. Urtica dioica is abundant in the Himalayan region and the compounds present in it have shown significant antiviral and anti-SARS activity. Therefore, molecular docking studies were performed to identify SARS-CoV-2 spike protein inhibitors from U. dioica to combat the COVID-19 disease.

Materials and Methods:

Compounds from U. dioica were screened using the bioinformatic approach, and subsequently, these compounds were docked with the S1 subunit of the COVID-19 spike protein (PDB ID: 6YOR). Molecular docking was carried out using the PyRx software (0.8 version) and further examined by employing the Discovery Studio Visualizer.

Results:

About all the selected compounds showed significant binding energy (e.g., beta-sitosterol: −10.3 kcal/mol) in contrast to the control chloroquine phosphate. This binding was observed with the spike protein residues that were common in the old strain and the more contagious newly modified B.1.1.7 strain of SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions:

Thus, our study can be used in effective drug development against SARS-CoV-2 and its mutant strains also.
Evaluating the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among the adult population in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Ahmed Hassan Radwa Atef , Yaser Yazan Mazen , Abdelhamid Aboeldahab Ahmed Khaled Mahmoud , Alqallaf Maryam O. A. O. , Al Hamadi Alya Abdallah Youssef , Hussein Amal
Published: October 2022

Background:

Ever since the emergence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection in the UAE, the government had taken several preventive measures against the disease, including vaccination. Acceptance of the vaccine among the population played a crucial role in determining whether the pandemic could be successfully controlled.

This study aimed to assess the acceptance, knowledge, and perception of the COVID-19 vaccine among the adult population of the UAE.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a snowball sampling method among UAE residents above 18 years of age. Data were collected using an online questionnaire consisting of 33 close-ended questions divided into three sections.

Results:

A total of 825 adults (males = 18.4% and females = 81.6%) participated in the study. Males were 3.3 times more likely to get vaccinated than females (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9–5.7). Those participants who took the flu vaccine before were 1.4 times more likely to get vaccinated (95% CI: 1.003–1.897). Employed participants were three times more likely to take the vaccine as compared with students and those who were unemployed (95% CI: 2.078–4.577). Likewise, those who were over 40 years old and those who believed in the efficacy and safety of vaccines were more willing to get vaccinated.

Conclusion:

The acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine was overall high, especially among males and employees. Our findings may help identify vulnerable groups in order to expand vaccination coverage and help raise awareness among UAE residents.
Endotracheal intubation of patients in left semi-prone position before endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: A randomised controlled study
Authors: Apinyachon Worapot , Thamnoranart Methinee , Lavanrattanakul Phisut , Sangasilpa Inthuon , Suragul Wikran
Published: October 2022

Background and Aims:

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is generally performed with the patient in the left semi-prone position. The patients are usually intubated in the supine position and subsequently turned to the left semi-prone position. This turning procedure may cause the injuries to the patient or unstable haemodynamics. Previous studies show that the success rates of intubation in the lateral position are comparable to that of intubation in the supine position, even so, there are some difficulties. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the effect of the semi-prone position on the success rate of intubation.

Methods:

This randomised controlled trial included 88 patients aged 18 to 80 years with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA PS) of I–III with no predicted difficult intubation, and who were undergoing ERCP. The subjects were randomly assigned to be intubated in the supine or semi-prone position. The 44 patients in the supine group were intubated in the supine position. The other 44 patients were intubated in the semi-prone position. The primary outcome was the success rate of the first intubation attempt.

Results:

There were no differences between the two groups in age, ASA PS and preoperative airway characteristics. Endotracheal intubation was successful in all patients with the first intubation attempt successful in 43 patients (97.7%) in the supine group and 42 (95.5%) in the semi-prone group (P = 0.556).

Conclusion:

For patients undergoing ERCP, the success rate of endotracheal intubation in the left semi-prone position was comparable to that in the supine position.
Dural sac cross-sectional area measured using ultrasound to modify the dosage of local anaesthetic in spinal anaesthesia for transurethral resection of prostate surgery: A prospective, double blind, randomised controlled study
Authors: Pula Ravikanth , Gooty Sunanda , Thakur Nagarjuna , Sharathchandra B
Published: October 2022

Background and Aims:

The area of lumbar spinal canal decreases with age, and hence the level of sensory blockade is higher in the elderly after spinal injection. The present study optimised the dose of local anaesthetic in elderly patients based on the lumbar dural sac cross sectional area (DSCSA) determined using ultrasound.

Methods:

Sixty patients of age above 60 years undergoing transurethral resection of prostrate (TURP) surgery in a tertiary care hospital were included in the study. Patients were categorised into two groups of 30 each based on a computer-generated random number table. In the control group (C), 2 ml of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine was given and in the ultrasound group (U), the drug dose was modified according to DSCSA which was measured using the formula area = p (diameter/2) 2.

Results

The DSCSA and bupivacaine dosage were significantly lower in group U compared to control group (P = 0.0001). The maximal level of cephalad spread of sensory blockade was significantly lower in ultrasound group, than in control group (P = 0.002). The two-segment block regression time and motor recovery time was less in group U. Higher mean arterial pressure (105.8 ± 9.66 mmHg; P = 0.007), and a lower decrease from baseline (14.15 ± 7.55%; P = 0.041) was noted in group U after subarachnoid block.

Conclusion

The estimation of DSCSA is an effective parameter and can be used to modify the dose of local anaesthetic for subarachnoid block in elderly patients undergoing TURP surgery.
Role of video-based learning on competency level of direct laryngoscopic skills of novice anaesthesiologists – A randomised clinical trial
Authors: Bakshi Sumitra G , Singh Pankaj , Bhosale Shil
Published: October 2022

Background and Aims:

Video laryngoscopes are often used for education and training of intubation skills. This study aimed to examine the influence of video-assisted guidance and video replay on intubation skills of novice anaesthesiologists.

Methods:

Adult patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status grade I–II, with a normal airway and scheduled to undergo elective surgical procedures requiring general anaesthesia and orotracheal intubation were included in this randomised study. Ten trainee anaesthesiologists, with no prior experience of performing tracheal intubation were enroled and randomly divided into group STD (received traditional learning) and group VL (received video-based learning).After initial mannequin training, the first seven intubations in patients in both the groups were done under supervision. In group VL, in addition to traditional cues, posttracheal intubation, the trainee and instructor had a session of video replay to discuss the entire process of laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation with areas of improvement. For the subsequent 15 intubations in patients, the trainees intubated independently using a standard Macintosh blade. The primary objective was to compare time required to intubate (TTI) for both groups using Mann–Whitney U test. Secondary objectives included comparison of difficulty in intubation (using a 5-point Likert scale), self-confidence scores (1–10, 10 – most confident), and intubation-related trauma.

Results:

The mean TTI was significantly lower in group VL than in group STD - 40s [Interquartile range (IQR): 32–50] versus 52s [IQR: 39–76], P = 0.002. No difference was seen in self-assessed confidence levels, rating of difficulty in intubation, and airway trauma.

Conclusion

Video replay of the intubation process has a positive impact on direct laryngoscopy learning.
Naltrexone beyond Psychiatric Domain
Authors: Garg Ashutosh , Thapliyal Khyati , Singh Vivek Pal
Published: October 2022

Naltrexone, an opioid receptor (OR) antagonist, at its standard doses, is a United States Federal Drug Administration-approved drug for opioid and alcohol use disorders. However, with the discovery of nonneuropsychiatric effects of OR signaling with low-dose naltrexone, it has found novel applications in inflammatory, malignant, insulin sensitivity-related, and chronic pain conditions. Lower doses also ameliorate its adverse effects. Its off-label use in the abovementioned situations has proven to be cost-effective against costly immunomodulating and antineoplastic drugs. Its lower cost and miniscule margin of interest have precluded in-depth analysis by the pharmaceutical industry. So far, only animal studies, cell culture studies, and case reports have been conducted, some of which exhibit promising benefits. There is a dearth of much-needed quality trials.
Isolated Maxillary Sinus Plasmacytoma: A Rare Entity
Authors: Madan Tanuj , Naga Rahul , Akhtar Mohammad Zubair , Dutta Angshuman
Published: October 2022

Plasmacytoma is a monoclonal plasma B cell malignancy originating in either bone named as solitary plasmacytoma of the bone or in soft tissue labeled as extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP). Solitary EMP is rare accounting for <1% of all head-and-neck malignancies, occurring primarily in the upper aerodigestive tract and nasal cavity, with nasal septum being the most common site. It accounts for 4% of all nonepithelial sinonasal tumors. EMPs are four times more common in men and affect geriatric age group routinely in the 6th–8th decade of life. It is pertinent to exclude systemic involvement by utilizing a systematic and well-coordinated approach of clinical, laboratory, and radiologic investigations. EMP of the nasal cavity is rare, but it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nasal cavity masses in all age groups, especially elderly. The present case report describes a patient affected by EMP, in which tumor arose from left maxillary sinus. The patient was managed with endoscopic resection of the mass followed by external beam radiotherapy. The patient was followed up for 2 years with routine endoscopies and 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with complete resolution of the lesion.
Clinical Course of a Case of Elizabethkingia Meningoseptica in a Critical Neonate at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlSehli Faisal Aqeel , Alsaeed Nawaf Sami , Rajah AlAnoud TofailAhmed , AlSaif Saif
Published: October 2022

Case Report:

In this paper we discuss the clinical course of a 25-week gestational age preterm neonate who suffered with multiple comorbidities atop of an E. meningoseptica infection causing meningitis and hydrocephalus. A multitude of antibiotics were administered to the child, such as vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and rifampicin. However, the pathogen either had prior resistance to the agents or newly developed resistance along the disease course. After many trials of antibiotics, the usage of ceftazidime/avibactam and moxifloxacin dual therapy induced clinical and microbiological eradication of the pathogen.

Objective:

This case report aims to discuss the multidrug approach used to treat a preterm neonates Elizabethkingia Meningoseptica infection in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Conclusion:

E. meningoseptica is an uncommon infectious agent which can cause meningitis and even sepsis that is difficult to treat due to its multidrug resistance phenotype. Continuous reviews of new case reports on successful attempts of treating E. meningoseptica are paramount to maintaining updated therapy options for newly encountered cases in day-to-day practice in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Multidisciplinary treatment strategy for early colon cancer
Authors: Son Gyung Mo , Park Su Bum , Kim Tae Un , Park Byung-Soo , Lee In Young , Na Joo-Young , Shin Dong Hoon , Oh Sang Bo , Cho Sung Hwan , Kim Hyun Sung , Kim Hyung Wook
Published: October 2022

Background: Treatment for early colon cancer has progressed rapidly with endoscopic resection and minimally invasive surgery. Selection of patients without risk of lymph node metastasis is necessary before deciding on endoscopic resection for early colon cancer treatment. We aimed to review the optimal multidisciplinary treatment strategies for early colon cancer, including endoscopy and surgery.Current Concepts: Pathological risk factors include histologic grade of cancer cell differentiation, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, tumor budding, and deep submucosal invasion. These risk factors for predicting lymph node metastasis are crucial for determining the treatment strategy of endoscopic excision and radical resection for early colon cancer. Prediction of the depth of invasion in early colon cancer using endoscopic optical assessments is vital to determine the appropriate treatment method for endoscopic or surgical resection. Furthermore, optical assessment of pit and vascular patterns is useful for estimating the depth of submucosal invasion using magnifying chromoendoscopy and narrow-band imaging endoscopy. Performing an endoscopic and pathologic evaluation of the risk factors for lymph node metastasis is imperative when selecting endoscopic or surgical resection. Endoscopic treatments include cold snare polypectomy, endoscopic mucosal resection, and endoscopic submucosal dissection. In addition, appropriate surgical treatment should be recommended for patients with early colon cancer with a high risk of lymph node metastasis.Discussion and Conclusion: A multidisciplinary approach should be recommended to establish an optimized treatment strategy, minimize the risk of complications, and obtain excellent oncologic outcomes via patienttailored treatment in patients with early colon cancer.
Molecular analyses of peritoneal metastasis from colorectal cancer
Authors: Kim Chang Hyun
Published: October 2022

Background: Despite a trend showing continued improvement in survival by combing targeted agents for colorectal cancer (CRC), the improvement observed is limited. Moreover, clinically relevant benefits were not achieved in peritoneal metastasis cases. The role of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and the benefits of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have been questioned. This review aimed to provide an overview of the current status of the studies reporting on the molecular knowledge of peritoneal metastasis from CRC (CRC-PM).Current Concepts: The PRODIGE 7 study was performed to assess the specific contributions of HIPEC to the survival benefit in CRC-PM cases by comparing CRS treatment alone and CRS with oxaliplatin-based HIPEC. However, this study did not reveal any survival improvement, and oxaliplatin resistance was suggested as the main cause of this negative outcome. Hence, the relative resistance to oxaliplatin in consensus molecular subtype (CMS) 4 CRC is of great interest.Discussion and Conclusion: Recent treatments for metastatic CRC have gradually moved to precision medicine based on individual biological information through high-throughput technology, such as next-generation sequencing. In the transcriptome study, CRC-PM was identified as an almost homogeneous CMS4 classification, which is known to have strong resistance to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. These results suggest the need to clarify complex sub-signal transmission pathways derived from transcriptome or proteome studies of CRC-PM. Finally, to compare two studies, it is necessary to establish a representative patient group and consider standardized sample collection, treatment, and analysis.
Diagnosis and treatment of women with recurrent urinary tract infection
Authors: Lee Seung-Ju
Published: October 2022

Background: Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (cystitis) is the most common bacterial infection among women visiting primary care clinics, and approximately 50% experience recurrence. Recurrent cystitis represents a substantial burden on the patients’ quality of life, healthcare costs, and antibiotics overuse.Current Concepts: Symptoms remain the cornerstone of cystitis diagnosis, and urine culture is necessary if recurrent cystitis is suspected. Antibiotics (typically nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin) are the first-line treatment. Based on the resistance data, cephalosporins and amoxicillin-clavulanate are the second-line treatment recommendations. Fluoroquinolones are not the first-line options because of safety concerns and rising resistance rates. In considering patients with recurrent cystitis, it is important to assess the patient’s risk factors. Postmenopausal women may present differently and require different diagnostic and treatment approaches from that of younger women. Non-antimicrobial approaches to prevent recurrent cystitis are preferred due to tolerability, safety, antimicrobial resistance concerns, and patient choice. Oral immunostimulant is effective for any age, and vaginal estrogen therapy is additionally recommended in postmenopausal women. Self-start and post-coital antibiotic therapy and non-antimicrobial prophylaxis may be combined. Low-dose continuous antibiotic therapy may be considered for women in whom other regimens fail.Discussion and Conclusion: To improve the quality of life and medical care of women, closing the gap between the physicians’ perceptions and patients’ needs is necessary. Furthermore, various preventive therapies for recurrent cystitis should be fully utilized.