bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carotid Plaque Vulnerability Diagnosis by CTA versus MRA: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dakis Konstantinos , Nana Petroula , Athanasios Chaidoulis , Spanos Konstantinos , Konstantinos Batzalexis , Giannoukas Athanasios , Kouvelos George
Published: February 2023

Stenosis grade of the carotid arteries has been the primary indicator for risk stratification and surgical treatment of carotid artery disease. Certain characteristics of the carotid plaque render it vulnerable and have been associated with increased plaque rupture rates. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) have been shown to detect these characteristics to a different degree. The aim of the current study was to report on the detection of vulnerable carotid plaque characteristics by CTA and MRA and their possible association. A systematic review of the medical literature was executed, utilizing PubMed, SCOPUS and CENTRAL databases, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. The study protocol has been registered to PROSPERO (CRD42022381801). Comparative studies reporting on both CTA and MRA carotid artery studies were included in the analysis. The QUADAS tools were used for risk of bias diagnostic imaging studies. Outcomes included carotid plaque vulnerability characteristics described in CTA and MRA and their association. Five studies, incorporating 377 patients and 695 carotid plaques, were included. Four studies reported on symptomatic status (326 patients, 92.9%). MRA characteristics included intraplaque hemorrhage, plaque ulceration, type VI AHA plaque hallmarks and intra-plaque high-intensity signal. Intraplaque hemorrhage detected in MRA was the most described characteristic and was associated with increased plaque density, increased lumen stenosis, plaque ulceration and increased soft-plaque and hard-plaque thickness. Certain characteristics of vulnerable carotid plaques can be detected in carotid artery CTA imaging studies. Nevertheless, MRA continues to provide more detailed and thorough imaging. Both imaging modalities can be applied for comprehensive carotid artery work-up, each one complementing the other.
Nanoparticle-Based Plasmonic Biosensor for the Unamplified Genomic Detection of Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Caliskan-Aydogan Oznur , Sharief Saad Asadullah , Alocilja Evangelyn C.
Published: February 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health issue, and the rise of carbapenem-resistant bacteria needs attention. While progress is being made in the rapid detection of resistant bacteria, affordability and simplicity of detection still need to be addressed. This paper presents a nanoparticle-based plasmonic biosensor for detecting the carbapenemase-producing bacteria, particularly the beta-lactam Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (blaKPC) gene. The biosensor used dextrin-coated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and an oligonucleotide probe specific to blaKPC to detect the target DNA in the sample within 30 min. The GNP-based plasmonic biosensor was tested in 47 bacterial isolates: 14 KPC-producing target bacteria and 33 non-target bacteria. The stability of GNPs, confirmed by the maintenance of their red appearance, indicated the presence of target DNA due to probe-binding and GNP protection. The absence of target DNA was indicated by the agglomeration of GNPs, corresponding to a color change from red to blue or purple. The plasmonic detection was quantified with absorbance spectra measurements. The biosensor successfully detected and differentiated the target from non-target samples with a detection limit of 2.5 ng/μL, equivalent to ~103 CFU/mL. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were found to be 79% and 97%, respectively. The GNP plasmonic biosensor is simple, rapid, and cost-effective in detecting blaKPC-positive bacteria.
Endoscopic Ultrasound Appearance of Jejunal Ectopic Pancreas Mimicking Metastatic Nodule in a Cancer Patient
Authors: Lee Chien-Wei , Lin Yen-Chih , Hsu Hui-Ting , Chen Yang-Yuan , Yen Hsu-Heng
Published: February 2023

The ectopic pancreas is a benign subepithelial tumor (SET) mostly found incidentally in the stomach and duodenum. Here, we present computed tomography (CT) scans and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) images from a 71-year-old Taiwanese man newly diagnosed with colonic adenocarcinoma. CT examination revealed a mural nodule in the proximal jejunum, with good enhancement after IV contrast medium administration. Push enteroscopy was performed to localize the lesion and evaluate its nature, and a 1 cm subepithelial lesion was found. The lesion appeared hyperechoic within the submucosal layer of the bowel wall on endoscopic ultrasound examination. A tattoo was performed, and the lesion was removed during the resection of colon cancer. The histopathology confirmed the presence of pancreatic tissue inside. As far as we know, this is the first description in the literature of an endoscopic ultrasound finding of a jejunal ectopic pancreas.
Vaccine Hesitancy in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of COVID-19 Vaccination Exercise: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ochola Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2023

Presently, the COVID-19 vaccine is seen as a means to an end in light of other challenges, such as vaccine inequity. Through COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), an initiative founded to guarantee fair and equitable distribution, vaccine hesitancy remains a critical component that needs to be addressed in sub-Saharan Africa. Utilizing a documentary search strategy and using the keywords and subject headings Utilitarianism and COVID-19 or Vaccine hesitancy and sub-Saharan Africa, this paper identified 67 publications from different databases (PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science), which were further screened by title and full text to achieve (n = 6) publications that were analyzed. The reviewed papers demonstrate that vaccine hesitancy occurs against a colonial backdrop of inequities in global health research, social–cultural complexities, poor community involvement and public distrust. All of these factors undermine the confidence that is crucial for sustaining collective immunity in vaccine programs. Even though mass vaccination programs are known to limit personal freedom, the exchange of information between healthcare professionals and citizens must be improved to encourage complete disclosure of vaccine information at the point of delivery. Moreover, addressing components of vaccine hesitancy should involve relying not on coercive public policies but on consistent ethical strategies that go beyond current healthcare ethics toward broader bioethics.
Systematic Review and Meta Analysis of the Relative Effect on Plaque Index among Pediatric Patients Using Powered (Electric) versus Manual Toothbrushes
Authors: Graves Andrew , Grahl Troy , Keiserman Mark , Kingsley Karl
Published: February 2023

Although many randomized controlled trials (RCT) have evaluated the efficacy of powered or electric toothbrushes compared with manual or traditional toothbrushes to remove biofilm and plaque, only one systematic review has been published for pediatric patients. The primary objective of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta analysis for this population. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol, N = 321 studies were initially identified. Three independent, blinded abstract reviews were completed resulting in a total of n = 38/322 or 11.8% for the final analysis (n = 27 non-orthodontic, n = 11 orthodontic studies). Meta analysis of these outcome data have revealed a strong reduction in plaque index scores among pediatric patients using electric toothbrushes of approximately 17.2% for non-orthodontic patients and 13.9% for orthodontic patients. These results provide strong clinical evidence for recommending electric toothbrushing to pediatric patients, as well as those patients undergoing orthodontic therapy and treatment.
A Novel Low Dark Current 9T Global Shutter Pixel with Merged Active Area
Authors: Gu Xueqiang , Zhu Hao , Chen Lin , Sun Qingqing , Zhang David Wei
Published: February 2023

There is an increasing demand for high-performance global shutter pixels for CMOS image sensor (CIS) in the high-end imaging field. The existing global pixels have disadvantages, such as low sensitivity, high dark current, and large pixel area. In the present work, we developed a novel 9T global shutter CIS pixel with a much smaller pixel pitch of 2.8 μm. To our knowledge, it is the most miniature reported 9T global shutter CIS pixel. The developed 9T global shutter CIS pixel shows an excellent low dark current by the strategy of merging active area, which is 38 e−/s. Moreover, the cross-talk, sensitivity, read noise, dynamic range and full well capacity show performance. The current strategy is expected to be helpful in further improving the performance of other kinds of CIS pixels.
Infrared Image Pre-Processing and IR/RGB Registration with FPGA Implementation
Authors: Lielāmurs Edgars , Cvetkovs Andrejs , Novickis Rihards , Ozols Kaspars
Published: February 2023

Infrared imaging sensors are frequently used in thermal signature detection applications in industrial, automotive, military and many other areas. However, advanced infrared detectors are generally associated with high costs and complexity. Infrared detectors usually necessitate a thermoelectric heater–cooler for temperature stabilization and various computationally complex preprocessing algorithms for fixed pattern noise (FPN) correction. In this paper, we leverage the benefits of uncooled focal plane arrays and describe a complete digital circuit design for Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based infrared image acquisition and pre-processing. The proposed design comprises temperature compensation, non-uniformity correction, defective pixel correction cores, spatial image transformation and registration with RGB images. When implemented on Xilinx Ultrascale+ FPGA, the system achieves a throughput of 30 frames per second using the Fraunhofer IMS Digital 17 μm QVGA-IRFPA with a microbolometer array size of 320 × 240 pixels and an RGB camera with a 1024 × 720 resolution. The maximum ratio of the standard deviation to the mean of 0.35% was achieved after FPN correction.
Development of Integrated Automatic System of Laser Cladding for Repairing of Polycrystalline Diamond Compact Bits
Authors: Wang Jian , Zhang Bochao , Tang Haiyang , Wei Xiong , Hao Weidong , Wang Juezhe
Published: February 2023

In order to improve the automatic level for laser-cladding repair of high value industrial equipment, such as polycrystalline diamond compact bit (PDC bit) applied in oil industry, a universal scheme of integrated automatic system for repairing is proposed in this paper, and the basic functional modules together with the executing order according to which each module runs are defined. There are two main technical points, i.e.,inspection and repairing, that need to be realized for such integrated automatic system. Therefore, according to the proposed scheme and the existing instruments, a dual-robot system, which includes two KUKA industrial robots, is adopted as the technological implementation, where one robot is used to carry a 3D scanner to reconstruct the PDC bit to realize inspection while the other is used to hold the laser to melt the special powder flowing to the damaged region of the bit to complete cladding. To realize automatic running of the whole integrated system, a hand-eye calibration method, namely three-point calibration, is then proposed, by which coordinates of point cloud of the damaged PDC bit detected by 3D scanner can be transformed to those of the coordinate system of the robot with the laser, so that the cladding path planned via cutting slice of the damaged region of the PDC bit in the upper computer software, the key of the integrated system developed by QT programming tool, can be tracked by laser head and then the damaged part of the PDC bit can be repaired. Finally, a laser-cladding experiment for repairing PDC bit is carried out and the feasibility of the proposed scheme of the integrated automatic system and the effectiveness of the dual-robot system implemented via KUKA robots are verified, According to existing literature, no papers about such integrated system for automatic laser cladding repair have been published.
Modeling of Conduction Mechanisms in Ultrathin Films of Al2O3 Deposited by ALD
Authors: Salas-Rodríguez Silvestre , Molina-Reyes Joel , Martínez-Castillo Jaime , Woo-Garcia Rosa M. , Herrera-May Agustín L. , López-Huerta Francisco
Published: February 2023

We reported the analysis and modeling of some conduction mechanisms in ultrathin aluminum oxide (Al2O3) films of 6 nm thickness, which are deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). This modeling included current-voltage measurements to metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitors with gate electrode areas of 3.6 × 10−5 cm2 and 6.4 × 10−5 cm2 at room temperature. The modeling results showed the presence of ohmic conduction, Poole Frenkel emission, Schottky emission, and trap-assisted tunneling mechanisms through the Al2O3 layer. Based on extracted results, we measured a dielectric conductivity of 5 × 10−15 S/cm at low electric fields, a barrier height at oxide/semiconductor interface of 2 eV, and an energy trap level into bandgap with respect to the conduction band of 3.11 eV. These results could be affected by defect density related to oxygen vacancies, dangling bonds, fixed charges, or interface traps, which generate conduction mechanisms through and over the dielectric energy barrier. In addition, a current density model is developed by considering the sum of dominant conduction mechanisms and results based on the finite element method for electronic devices, achieving a good match with experimental data.
PSO-Based Target Localization and Tracking in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Lee Shu-Hung , Cheng Chia-Hsin , Lin Chien-Chih , Huang Yung-Fa
Published: February 2023

Research of target localization and tracking is always a remarkable problem in the application of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) technology. There are many kinds of research and applications of target localization and tracking, such as Angle of Arrival (AOA), Time of Arrival (TOA), and Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA). The target localization accuracy for TOA, TDOA, and AOA is better than RSS. However, the required devices in the TOA, TDOA, and AOA are more expensive than RSS. In addition, the computational complexity of TOA, TDOA, and AOA is also more complicated than RSS. This paper uses a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm with the received signal strength index (RSSI) channel model for indoor target localization and tracking. The performance of eight different method combinations of random or regular points, fixed or adaptive weights, and the region segmentation method (RSM) proposed in this paper for target localization and tracking is investigated for the number of particles in the PSO algorithm with 12, 24, 52, 72, and 100. The simulation results show that the proposed RSM method can reduce the number of particles used in the PSO algorithm and improve the speed of positioning and tracking without affecting the accuracy of target localization and tracking. The total average localization time for target localization and tracking with the RSM method can be reduced by 48.95% and 34.14%, respectively, and the average accuracy of target tracking reaches up to 93.09%.
Social Recommendation Algorithm Based on Self-Supervised Hypergraph Attention
Authors: Xu Xiangdong , Przystupa Krzysztof , Kochan Orest
Published: February 2023

Social network information has been widely applied to traditional recommendations that have received significant attention in recent years. Most existing social recommendation models tend to use pairwise relationships to explore potential user preferences, but overlook the complexity of real-life interactions between users and the fact that user relationships may be higher order. These approaches also ignore the dynamic nature of friend influence, which leads the models to treat different friend influences equally in different ways. To address this, we propose a social recommendation algorithm that incorporates graph embedding and higher-order mutual information maximization based on the consideration of social consistency. Specifically, we use the graph attention model to build higher-order information among users for deeper mining of their behavioral patterns on the one hand; while on the other hand, it models user embedding based on the principle of social consistency to finally achieve finer-grained inference of user interests. In addition, to alleviate the problem of losing its own hierarchical information after fusing different levels of hypergraphs, we use self-supervised learning to construct auxiliary branches that fully enhance the rich information in the hypergraph. Experimental results conducted on two publicly available datasets show that the proposed model outperforms state-of-the-art methods.
Computational Fluid Dynamic Models of Wind Turbine Wakes
Authors: Crespo Antonio
Published: February 2023

Wind energy is one of the main sources of renewable energy that does not contaminate and contributes significantly to the reduction of burning fossil fuels that originate global warming by creating greenhouse gasses; therefore, a significant part the electric energy produced presently is of wind origin, and this share is expected to become more important in the next years [...]
Diversity and Potential Interactions of Soil Viruses and Host Bacteria under Different Land Use Patterns
Authors: Yan Yuting , Yu Danting , Han Lili , Yuan Chengyu , He Jizheng
Published: February 2023

Viruses, as the most abundant entities on earth, play an important role in shaping bacterial communities, mediating gene transfer between host cells, and promoting biogeochemical cycles. Yet, soil viruses remain understudied, as there is a lack of information about the mechanisms of community construction, interactions between viruses and host bacteria, and ecological functions. To expand our understanding of soil viruses, we investigated six viromes across three land use types in northeast and southwestern China, including agricultural and forest soils. We analyzed viral and bacterial community composition and explored their interactions. We utilized metagenomic sequencing technology and high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing to study viral and bacterial communities. Twenty-four viral families were detected in six viromes including sixteen dsDNA virus families and eight ssDNA virus families. Viral and bacterial communities were significantly different between various land use types, with viruses having greater disparities. The composition of bacterial communities in soils across different land use types was inconsistent with their viral communities. We identified abundant auxiliary carbohydrate-active enzyme genes from viromes. The results revealed that soil viral communities differ by land use type and that viruses could regulate bacterial carbon cycling processes by encoding auxiliary metabolic genes.
Latitudinal and Altitudinal Patterns and Influencing Factors of Soil Humus Carbon in the Low-Latitude Plateau Regions
Authors: Zhou Hong , Yan Youjin , Dai Quanhou , He Zhongjun , Yi Xingsong
Published: February 2023

The composition of forest soil organic matter is an important part of the global carbon cycle, which is effective by temperature and moisture. As we all know, the temperature and moisture in the low-latitude plateau regions are very sensitive to changes in latitude and altitude. However, the composition of soil organic matter response to changes in latitude and altitude in the low-latitude plateau regions is unknown. In this study, the effects of latitude (21–29° N) and altitude (500–4000 m) on soil organic carbon (SOC) and humic acid carbon (HAC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), and humin carbon (HMC) in forest surface soil (0–10 cm) were investigated. The results showed that the contents of soil organic carbon and humus increased with the increase in altitude and latitude. The effect of altitude on the composition of organic matter was significant only at 23° N to 25° N. The composition of organic matter is not only regulated by mean annual temperature (MAT) and soil moisture content (SMC) but also affected by soil pH, carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), and powder. The soil surface layer (0–10 cm) carbon sequestration capacity in high-latitude and high-altitude areas is stronger than that in low-latitude and low-altitude areas. As a consequence, in today’s response to global climate change, the high carbon sequestration capacity of high latitude and high altitude areas should be given attention and protection.
Influence of Chrysoporthe deuterocubensis Canker Disease on the Chemical Properties and Durability of Eucalyptus urograndis against Wood Rotting Fungi and Termite Infestation
Authors: Dahali Rasdianah , Lee Seng Hua , Md Tahir Paridah , Salim Sabiha , Hishamuddin Muhammad Syahmi , Che Ismail Atikah , Khoo Pui San , Krystofiak Tomasz , Antov Petar
Published: February 2023

In this study, the effects of stem canker disease caused by Chrysoporthe deuterocubensis on the chemical properties and durability of a Eucalyptus hybrid (E. urophylla x E. grandis) were investigated. Eleven-year-old healthy and infected trees were collected. The samples were grouped into four different classes based on the infection severity: healthy (class 1), moderately infected (class 2), severely infected (class 3), and very severely infected (class 4). The changes in chemical properties were evaluated via chemical analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. A resistance test against fungal decay (Pcynoporus sanguineus and Caniophora puteana) and termite (Coptotermes curvignathus) was also performed. The results showed that reductions in cellulose and hemicellulose content from 53.2% to 45.4% and 14.1% to 13.9%, respectively, were observed in the infected samples. Meanwhile, the percentages of lignin and extractives increased from 18.1% to 20.5% and 14.6% to 20.2%, respectively. The resistance against fungi and termites varied between severity classes. Generally, infected wood behaved better than healthy wood in terms of durability against fungi and termites. The durability classes for both tests were significantly improved, from resistant to highly resistant and poor to moderately resistant, respectively. These results suggest that E. urograndis that is infected by C. deuterocubensis might have a better potential use in lumber production with regard to its durability and processing cost compared to pulp and paper products.
Vegetation and Forest Complexity Analysis of the Caucasian Grouse (Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi) Habitats in the Lesser Caucasus Mountain
Authors: Ghanbari Sajad , Sefidi Kiomars , Álvarez-Álvarez Pedro
Published: February 2023

Species composition can vary among different types of habitat and is defined by the dependency of species on resources. The positive relationship between species composition and forest functions is of increasing interest to researchers. In this study, we focused on the species composition and structural complexity index (SCI) of the Caucasian grouse (Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi) habitat, which is an indicator species in mountain forest habitats in the Arasbaran biosphere reserve, Iran. Data were collected from the previously identified presence and pseudo-absence locations of this species. A total of 18 sample plots were surveyed systematically randomly in each area with 800 m distance from each other (36 sample plots in total). The main parameters were type of species, diameter and height of trees, shrubs and regeneration, and number and diameter of coarse woody debris. Overstorey tree species richness per ha differed in the pseudo-absence and presence locations, with 16 and 20 species, respectively. The Caucasian grouse was observed in the site with trees smaller than 10 cm DBH and a balanced density of trees smaller than 5 cm DBH. Overall, the SCI was higher in the presence location than in the pseudo-absence location with no significant difference (t = 1.491, p-value= 0.154). The heterogeneity of the stand structure in grouse habitats was high. The area where the Caucasian grouse was present was characterized by high numbers of dead trees and also high log volume. Maintaining a heterogenous forest structure is important for protecting this species. Conservation of fruit trees that are fed on by the grouse is also recommended.
Dynamic Analysis of the Bacterial Community and Determination of Antioxidant Capacity during the Fermentation of Sour Tea
Authors: Zhang Shuming , Shi Chunyuan , Liu Chenjian , Zou Xingyuan , Gong Fuming , Li Xiaoran
Published: February 2023

The imbalance of the redox state caused by extra reactive oxygen species is closely related to many diseases. Therefore, it is necessary for people to ingest antioxidants through food. The safety of some synthetic antioxidants has been questioned. In this context, it is worth exploring natural and safe antioxidants from biological sources. Tea has good antioxidant activity, and the antioxidant activity of fermented sour tea is better than that of other types. It is necessary to clarify the antioxidant capacity of sour tea during fermentation, as well as the microbial community and its sources. Nonculture and culture-dependent methods were adopted to track the changes in the microbial population and community structure during the fermentation of sour tea. Sequence analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplification revealed significant differences in community complexity and structure at different fermentation times. The highest proportion of operational taxonomic units (OTU s) in all samples was Latilactobacillus, which was determined to be Lactiplantibacillus plantarum by further analysis. The second highest proportion of OTUs was Enterobacter. With the fermentation of sour tea, the antioxidant capacity increased, and all isolated Lb. plantarum had good DPPH clearance rates. Our findings suggest that Lb. plantarum plays a crucial role in the fermentation process of sour tea. The possibility of discovering new antioxidants was provided by the determination of the antioxidant capacity and bacterial community during the fermentation of sour tea.
Im2Graph: A Weakly Supervised Approach for Generating Holistic Scene Graphs from Regional Dependencies
Authors: Ghosh Swarnendu , Gonçalves Teresa , Das Nibaran
Published: February 2023

Conceptual representations of images involving descriptions of entities and their relations are often represented using scene graphs. Such scene graphs can express relational concepts by using sets of triplets ⟨subject—predicate—object⟩. Instead of building dedicated models for scene graph generation, our model tends to extract the latent relational information implicitly encoded in image captioning models. We explored dependency parsing to build grammatically sound parse trees from captions. We used detection algorithms for the region propositions to generate dense region-based concept graphs. These were optimally combined using the approximate sub-graph isomorphism to create holistic concept graphs for images. The major advantages of this approach are threefold. Firstly, the proposed graph generation module is completely rule-based and, hence, adheres to the principles of explainable artificial intelligence. Secondly, graph generation can be used as plug-and-play along with any region proposition and caption generation framework. Finally, our results showed that we could generate rich concept graphs without explicit graph-based supervision.
Development of a Novel Quantitative Risk Assessment Tool for UK Road Tunnels
Authors: Haddad Razieh Khaksari , Harun Zambri
Published: February 2023

Some of the most critical transportation infrastructures are road tunnels. Underground passageways for motorists are provided through this cost-effective engineering solution, which allows for high traffic volumes. A crucial aspect of the operation of road tunnels is fire safety. Risk assessments have been established to ensure the level of safety in tunnels. As the existing quantitative risk analysis (QRA) models are inapplicable to assess the fire risk in UK road tunnels, this paper presents a novel QRA model, named LBAQRAMo, for UK road tunnels. This model consists of two main sections: quantitative frequency analysis, to estimate the frequency of fire incidents via an event tree; and quantitative consequences analysis, to model the consequences of fire incidents. LBAQRAMo covers the risk to tunnel users. The result of the risk analysis is the expected value of the societal risk of the investigated tunnel, presented via F/N curve. Another major result of this model is the estimation of the number of fatalities for each scenario based on the comparison between required safe egress time (RSET) and available safe egress time (ASET). Risk evaluation was carried out by comparison of the tunnel under study with the UK ALARP limit. The operation of the model is demonstrated by its application to the Gibraltar Airport Tunnel as a case study. Simulation of 34 different possible scenarios show that the tunnel is safe for use. The sensitivity of the model to HGV fire incident frequency and basic pre-movement times was studied as well.
Content of Trace Elements and Human Health Risk Assessment via Consumption of Commercially Important Fishes from Montenegrin Coast
Authors: Bošković Neda , Joksimović Danijela , Bajt Oliver
Published: February 2023

Muscle tissues of Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius were analyzed for the presence of selected trace elements (As, Hg, Cd, and Pb) to determine the value of the daily intake of trace elements from fish consumption and to assess the risk to human health. The mean concentrations of As in the muscle tissue of M. barbatus and M. merluccius for the entire period were 19.689 mg/kg wet weight (ww) and 8.356 mg/kg ww, Hg 0.497 mg/kg ww and 0.153 mg/kg ww, and Pb 0.031 mg/kg ww and 0.025 mg/kg ww, respectively. The concentrations of Cd in all fish sampled were below the detection limit (<0.02 mg/kg ww). The evaluation of the potential health risk assessments based on the target hazard quotient (THQ) and estimated daily intake (EDI) indicated that the intake of As in both fish species and Hg for M. barbatus could pose an appreciable risk to human health. The calculated hazard index (HI) was higher than 1 for both fish species. The continuous monitoring of trace elements’ concentrations in fish is strongly recommended, as the results demonstrate potential health risks due to the presence of As and Hg.
Novel Pathogenic Mutations Identified from Whole-Genome Sequencing in Unsolved Cases of Patients Affected with Inherited Retinal Diseases
Authors: Hussain Hafiz Muhammad Jafar , Wang Meng , Huang Austin , Schmidt Ryan , Qian Xinye , Yang Paul , Marra Molly , Li Yumei , Pennesi Mark E. , Chen Rui
Published: February 2023

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a diverse set of visual disorders that collectively represent a major cause of early-onset blindness. With the reduction in sequencing costs in recent years, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is being used more frequently, particularly when targeted gene panels and whole-exome sequencing (WES) fail to detect pathogenic mutations in patients. In this study, we performed mutation screens using WGS for a cohort of 311 IRD patients whose mutations were undetermined. A total of nine putative pathogenic mutations in six IRD patients were identified, including six novel mutations. Among them, four were deep intronic mutations that affected mRNA splicing, while the other five affected protein-coding sequences. Our results suggested that the rate of resolution of unsolved cases via targeted gene panels and WES can be further enhanced with WGS; however, the overall improvement may be limited.
Effects of L-arginine on Nitric Oxide Synthesis and Larval Metamorphosis of Mytilus coruscus
Authors: Zhu You-Ting , Liang Lin-Li , Liu Tian-Tian , Liang Xiao , Yang Jin-Long
Published: February 2023

To investigate the regulatory functions of L-arginine and nitric oxide (NO) on Mytilus coruscus metamorphosis, M. coruscus larvae were exposed to an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), aminoguanidine hemisulfate (AGH), and a substrate for NO synthesis, L-arginine. We observed that NO levels showed a significant increase, and this trend continued with L-arginine treatment. When NOS activity was inhibited, the larvae could not synthesize NO, and metamorphosis was not inhibited even in the presence of L-arginine. On transfecting pediveliger larvae with NOS siRNA followed by L-arginine exposure, we found that the larvae did not produce NO and that the larval metamorphosis rate was significantly increased, suggesting that L-arginine regulates M. coruscus larval metamorphosis by promoting NO synthesis. Our findings improve our understanding of the effects of marine environmental factors on larval metamorphosis of mollusks.
Temporal and Spatial Gene Expression Profile of Stroke Recovery Genes in Mice
Authors: Götz Jan , Wieters Frederique , Fritz Veronika J. , Käsgen Olivia , Kalantari Aref , Fink Gereon R. , Aswendt Markus
Published: February 2023

Stroke patients show some degree of spontaneous functional recovery, but this is not sufficient to prevent long-term disability. One promising approach is to characterize the dynamics of stroke recovery genes in the lesion and distant areas. We induced sensorimotor cortex lesions in adult C57BL/6J mice using photothrombosis and performed qPCR on selected brain areas at 14, 28, and 56 days post-stroke (P14-56). Based on the grid walk and rotating beam test, the mice were classified into two groups. The expression of cAMP pathway genes Adora2a, Pde10a, and Drd2, was higher in poor- compared to well-recovered mice in contralesional primary motor cortex (cl-MOp) at P14&56 and cl-thalamus (cl-TH), but lower in cl-striatum (cl-Str) at P14 and cl-primary somatosensory cortex (cl-SSp) at P28. Plasticity and axonal sprouting genes, Lingo1 and BDNF, were decreased in cl-MOp at P14 and cl-Str at P28 and increased in cl-SSp at P28 and cl-Str at P14, respectively. In the cl-TH, Lingo1 was increased, and BDNF decreased at P14. Atrx, also involved in axonal sprouting, was only increased in poor-recovered mice in cl-MOp at P28. The results underline the gene expression dynamics and spatial variability and challenge existing theories of restricted neural plasticity.
Reappraisal of Data of Hydrological Changes Associated with Some Strong Historical Italian Earthquakes
Authors: Castellano Corrado , Cucci Luigi , Tertulliani Andrea
Published: February 2023

Historical seismology retrieves information about the effects of earthquakes that occurred in the past, mostly regarding the damage, but also on environmental effects. In this paper, we describe the methodology of our research on earthquake-induced hydrological effects, which have been long observed and documented, and are among the most outstanding coseismic phenomena. The method of research follows two distinct paths, depending on whether the investigated event occurred before or after the end of the 18th Century. For the most ancient events, we present examples of historical accounts, local reports, private letters, and diaries, in which the information of interest is often hidden within broader descriptions and mentioned as a minor curiosity. On the contrary, for more recent earthquakes, the research benefits from the growing interest in naturalistic observations that marked the onset of the 19th Century, and is achieved through detailed descriptions, journals, seismic postcards, and through the first systematic collections of instrumental data. Finally, we describe a possible method of classification of the hydrological data and show an analysis of the potential applications and outcomes of this type of research.
Sickness Presence among Teachers, Nurses and Private Sector Office Workers
Authors: Olejniczak Dominik , Olearczyk Agata , Swakowska Katarzyna , Staniszewska Anna , Zakrzewska Karolina
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Sickness presence is used to denote an employee who feels unwell but still attends work, thus avoiding absence. The intention of this paper is to compare sickness presence in a group of the following professions: teachers, nurses and private sector office workers. Material and methods: For the purpose of this study, a survey based on the original PAPI form (Paper-and-Pen Personal Interview) was carried out. Non-probability sampling, the snowball method (N = 507: teachers n = 174, nurses n = 165 and private sector office workers n = 168), covering the whole of Poland, was adopted. Non-parametric hypotheses were verified using the chi-squared test with a statistical significance α = 0.05. Results: Compared to nurses and private sector office workers, teachers more frequently attended work when sick (p < 0.05). Out of the reported ailments that respondents worked with, teachers more often indicated rhinitis (p < 0.05), sore throat and cough (p < 0.05) and increased temperature (p < 0.05). This may be associated with a threat to the health of individuals in their charge. Teachers commonly complained about joint and bone pain (p < 0.05) and gastrointestinal disorders (p < 0.05). Contrary to nurses and private sector office workers, teachers did not point to ‘lack of a replacement’ as the reason for their presence at work when sick (p < 0.05). Exclusively, teachers added financial issues and difficulties in access to healthcare if they are working fewer hours to the list of reasons for attending work when sick. Conclusions: Results suggest that there is a need for further studies on the presence of sick employees in the workplace, especially for teachers. The sickness presence of teachers and nurses may be a threat from a public health perspective. The workplace itself is a significant place to prevent many diseases.
Changes in Physical Activity and Depression among Korean Adolescents Due to COVID-19: Using Data from the 17th (2021) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Authors: Eo Yong-Sook , Kim Myo-Sung
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to identify changes in the health behavior and mental health of adolescents due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the characteristics related to changes in physical activity and depression among health behavior changes. Data were extracted from the 17th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey of 54,835 adolescents. We classified the adolescents into three groups according to changes in physical activity and depression: no change, increased, or decreased. Independent variables included changes in health behavior due to COVID-19, demographic characteristics, health-related behavior, and mental health. Data were analyzed using the χ2-test and multiple logistic regressions using the SPSS Statistics 27 program. Changes in physical activity and depression showing negative changes due to the pandemic were related to factors such as having breakfast, current smoking, current drinking, stress, loneliness, despair, suicidal ideation, suicide plans, and suicide attempts. The related factors differed between the increased and decreased groups. The results of this study confirm that it is necessary to develop programs to promote the health of youth by considering the factors that affect physical activity and depression, which in turn influences the status of their health.
Spontaneous Pulmonary Hematoma: Case Report of a Giant Post-COVID-19 Hematoma and Literature Review
Authors: Petreanu Cornel Adrian , Vlăsceanu Silviu , Zaharia Dragoș , Jipa Daniela , Moldovan Horațiu , Gheorghiță Daniela , Iliuță Luminița , Rădulescu Bogdan , Bădărău Ioana Anca , Savu Cornel Florentin
Published: February 2023

Pulmonary hematomas are a rare pathology. Although they are usually reported post-traumatically, there are also spontaneous forms in pulmonary pathologies or during drug therapy. In these spontaneous entities, primitive forms are rarely described, although the contributory local pulmonary pathological terrain or a specific associated medication has not yet been identified. We present the case of a patient who developed a giant pulmonary hematoma that appeared spontaneously during recovery from COVID-19 infection. It appeared in one of the two bullae-like cystic lung lesions developed during secondary COVID-19 infection. The clinical impact was major, with hypotension and anemia being observed, requiring hemodynamic support and the adjustment of drug therapy. The clinical course was favorable, with a quasi-complete resolution of both the hematoma and a second cystic lesion being observable at 8 months by pulmonary remodeling. Spontaneous pulmonary hematomas may constitute a pathological entity associated with a post-COVID-19 remodeling process of the lung and the related anticoagulant treatment, which should be recognized, especially in the actual COVID-19 pandemic or in the widespread use of anticoagulant treatment. Conservative treatment is the method of choice, even in giant lung forms.
Implementing Technologies: Assessment of Telemedicine Experiments in the Paris Region: Reasons for Success or Failure of the Evaluations and of the Deployment of the Projects
Authors: Le Bras Alicia , Zarca Kevin , Mimouni Maroua , Durand-Zaleski Isabelle ,   ARS Ile de France Telemedicine Group
Published: February 2023

Background: Telemedicine is increasingly viewed as a tool to provide a wide range of health services. This article presents policy lessons drawn from the evaluation of telemedicine experiments conducted in the Paris region. Methods: We used a mixed method design to study telemedicine projects commissioned by the Paris Regional Health Agency between 2013 and 2017. We combined data analysis of the telemedicine projects, review of the protocols, and interviews with stakeholders. Results: We identified the following reasons for disappointing outcomes: the outcome measure was requested too early during the experiments because payers required information for budgetary decisions; and the learning curve, technical problems, diversion of use, insufficient number of inclusions, and a lack of adherence prevented the demonstration of successful outcomes of the projects. Conclusion: The evaluation of telemedicine should be undertaken after sufficient uptake to ensure barriers to implementation are overcome, and to obtain the sample size necessary for statistical power and reduce the average cost for one telemedicine request. Randomized controlled trials should be encouraged with appropriate funding and the follow-up period should be extended.
Participants’ Evaluation and Outcomes following Integration of Self-Management Support into Outpatient Schizophrenia Case Management
Authors: McNeely Heather E. , Letts Lori , Martin Mary-Lou , Strong Susan
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Self-management is advocated as a feasible, effective intervention to support individuals to actively manage the impact of illness and live healthier lives. We sought to evaluate a piloted self-management model, SET for Health, tailored for individuals living with schizophrenia embedded within ambulatory case management. (2) Methods: A mixed-methods design engaged 40 adults living with schizophrenia in the SET for Health protocol. Functional and symptomatic outcomes were measured by self-report and clinician ratings at baseline and completion of self-management plans, on average one year later. Semi-structured qualitative client interviews invited evaluations of personal experiences with the intervention. (3) Results: Significant improvements were found concerning client illness severity, social and occupational functioning, illness management and functional recovery with reductions in emergency visits and days in hospital. Clients endorsed the value of the intervention. Baseline clinical characteristics did not predict who benefited. Participation contributed to motivational gains and quality of life. (4) Conclusions: Results confirmed self-management support embedded within traditional case management improved clients’ clinical and functional status, and contributed to quality of life. Clients engaged in their recovery and actively used self-management strategies. Self-management can be successfully adopted by clients with schizophrenia regardless of age, gender, education, illness severity or duration.
Health Damage of Air Pollution, Governance Uncertainty and Economic Growth
Authors: Zhang Yi , Wang Mengyang , Shi Tao , Huang Huan , Huang Qi
Published: February 2023

The evaluation of environmental and health governance processes is an important part of the innovation and perfection of modern governance systems. Based on the macropanel samples, this paper analyzes the impact of the health damage caused by air pollution (APHD) on economic growth and the related mechanisms accordingly using the moderate model and the threshold model. The results can be concluded as follows: (1) After locking in the health damage perspective, the APHD has a negative impact on economic growth. When other conditions are met, economic growth will significantly drop by 1.233 percent for each unit increase in the APHD index. (2) There is a moderate effect of governance uncertainty in APHD on economic growth with different characteristics. The combination of governance uncertainty and APHD can significantly inhibit economic growth, and this moderating effect has different impacts due to heterogeneous conditions. Spatially, this inhibitory effect is significantly obvious in the eastern, central, and western regions, while the negative effect is significant in areas north of the Huai River with medium and low self-defense ability. Additionally, compared with the delegating of governance power at the municipal level, when the governance power is delegated at the county level, the interaction between the governance uncertainty constructed by income fiscal decentralization and APHD has a less negative economic effect. (3) There is a threshold effect under the conditions of a low level of decentralization of prevention and control, a high level of investment in governance, and a low level of APHD. However, under the condition of a certain APHD level, when the decentralization level of pollution control is higher than 7.916 and the input level of pollution control in GDP is lower than 1.77%, the negative moderating effect can be effectively reduced.
Centres of Excellence for Adolescent Health and Development: A Case Study from Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Mehra Devika , Rajak Rahul , Deo Sujata , Najmuddin Qazi , Devi Kshetrimayum Surmala , Rathi Suresh Kumar , Mehra Sunil
Published: February 2023

Adolescents and young adult comprise a significant proportion of India’s population. Although, this group of the population faces serious challenges to their health and well-being. To promote their health and well-being, Centre of Excellence (CoE) at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India, serves as an advanced care facility for 10–24-year-old adolescents and young adult women. This paper reports the socio-demographic characteristics of, and health services availed to adolescents and young adults who are visiting the CoE in Lucknow, India. A total of 6038 beneficiaries received clinical services during June 2018–March 2022. Out of total clinical services, 38.37% counselling and 37.53% referral services were utilised. Menstruation (46.29%), sexual and reproductive (28.19%), nutrition (5.91%), and mental health (1.67%) related problems were highly reported. The age of beneficiaries is classified into three categories, i.e., 10–14, 15–19, and 20–24 years. Prevalence of overweight was highest among adolescents aged 20–24 years compared to other age groups. Other than nutrition, late-adolescent girls (15–19) faced more health problems than their counterparts. The percentage of beneficiaries decreased significantly during and post the COVID-19 period (<0.001). Therefore, age-specific programs are currently needed, and interventions need to be designed accordingly.