bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seismic Reliability Analysis of Long-Span Single-Pylon Suspension Bridge Subject to Nonstationary Ground Motions
Authors: Zhang Jin , wang gang , Chen Zhi-qiang , Yang Zhen-yu , Shi Xing-hu , Xie Ming-zhi
Published: March 2022

To efficiently and accurately evaluate the critical seismic response extreme value distribution (EVD) and seismic reliability analysis (SRA) of complex non-linear structures under nonstationary ground motions, a novel method for obtaining fractional moments via unequal weights combined improved correlation-reduced Latin hypercube sampling method (ICLHS) was proposed in this investigation. First, the basic theoretical methods of SRA were presented including dimension reduction simulation of nonstationary ground motions, single-loop maximum entropy theory of fractional moments, along with ICLHS for abtaining the fractional moments. Then, an effective structural seismic reliability assessment framework of complex nonlinear structures under nonstationary ground motions was built considering the double uncertainties of structural variables and seismic ground motions. and a three-story nonlinear shear frame structure was employed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Finally, Based on the proprosed method and OpenSees finite element platform, the SRA of a typical long-span single-pylon suspension bridge was carried out and some critical conclusions were drawn.
Pan-cancer study of PARK7/DJ-1 as a biomarker for prognostic and immunological role in 33 human cancers
Authors: Liu Zeyuan , Gao Qing , Gu Junjie , Sun Xinchen , Di Xiaoke
Published: March 2022

Background: An increasing number of studies have suggested that PARK7 expressed at a high level in various tumors and is closely associated with malignant tumor generation, progression and prognosis. However, there are relatively few studies on the specific role of PARK7 in tumor immunity.Methods: Gene expression data and clinical characteristics for 33 cancers were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The correlations between PARK7 with clinical Indicators and survival were analyzed. To investigate the role of PARK7 in cancer immunotherapy, we analyzed the relevance of PARK7 to the tumor microenvironment and its relationship with immune cell infiltration, immune related genes. In addition, we investigated the correlation between PARK7 and immunotherapeutic biomarkers and explored the underlying pathways of PARK7.Results: Higher expression levels were seen in tumor samples of BLCA, BRCA, COAD, ESCA, GBM, HNSC, LIHC, LUAD, LUSC, PRAD, STAD, UCEC than normal tissues. Regarding the prognostic value of PARK7, the results of the multivariate COX regression model analyses revealed PARK7 as an independent prognostic factor in KICH, KIRP, LAML and UVM. PARK7 were significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration, MSI, TMB and some immune related genes in various cancers. Patients with low PARK7 expression in the GSE67501 cohort were more responsive to immunotherapy (p = 0.024).Conclusion: This study suggested that PARK7 can be used not only as a prognostic biomarker for some cancers, but also as a potential biomarker for assessing the response to immunotherapy. These findings can provide some theoretical basis for future research, while more research is required to prove these findings.
Grey Matter Changes On Brain MRI In Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review
Authors: Arrondo Pablo , Elía-Zudaire Óscar , Martí-Andrés Gloria , Fernández-Seara María A. , Riverol Mario
Published: March 2022

Introduction: People with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) report cognitive deterioration. However, their performance in neuropsychological evaluation falls within the normal range. The present study aims to analyse whether structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals grey matter changes in SCD population compared with healthy normal controls (HC). Methods: Parallel systematic searches in PubMed and Web of science databases were conducted, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Quality assessment was completed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS)Results: 51 MRI studies were included. 35 studies used a region of interest (ROI) analysis, 15 used a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis, and 10 studies used a cortical thickness (CTh) analysis. 10 studies combined both, VBM or CTh analysis with ROI analysis.Conclusions: Medial temporal structures, like the hippocampus or the entorhinal cortex (EC) seemed to present grey matter reduction in SCD compared with HC, but the samples and results are heterogeneous. Larger sample sizes could help to better determine if these grey matter changes are consistent in SCD subjects.
Targeted Identification of Rice Grain-Associated Gene Allelic Variation through Mutation Induction, Targeted Sequencing, and Whole Genome Sequencing Combined with a Mixed-Samples Strategy
Authors: Sun Kai , Li Dandan , Xia Aoyun , Zhao Hua , Wen Qin , Jia Sisi , Wang Jiafeng , Yang Guili , Zhou Danhua , Huang Cuihong , Wang Hui , Chen Zhiqiang , Guo Tao
Published: March 2022

Background: The mining of excellent allelic variation and the creation of new crop germplasm are the basis for improving breeding efficiency.Results: In this study, a total of 3872 heavy ion-irradiated M2 generation rice seeds and individual leaves were collected, and 484 mixed samples were obtained at a seed-to-leaf ratio of 8:1. Targeted sequencing technology was used to detect the major grain length genes GS3 and grain length. The allelic variation in the broad major gene GW5 and the phenotype data were measured, and 12 mixed samples containing potential mutations and 15 SNPs were obtained; 96 individual plants in the 12 mixed samples were then subjected to Sanger sequencing, combined with the phenotypic data obtained 13 key mutants and their corresponding SNPs; the protein structure and function analysis of the key mutants was carried out, and 6 allelic variants that led to the change in grain shape were mined, as well as the corresponding mutants, including long-grain mutants GS3-2 and GS3-7, short-grain mutants GS3-3 and GS3-5, wide-grain mutant GW5-1 and narrow-grain mutant GW5-4; sequencing identified new grain length gene allelic variants GS3-G1, GS3-G2 and GS3-G3, which provided new functional gene loci and a material basis for molecular breeding and genotype mutation and phenotype analysis, particularly in the context of mutational associations.Conclusion: Based on the above studies, we propose a method for targeted identification of allelic variation in rice grain type genes by combining targeted sequencing of mixed samples and whole genome sequencing. This method can sequence the target fragments of mixed samples, and the detection cost is low; furthermore, the identification cycle based on present method is short due to screening process is on the mutation offspring and the recombination genetic population is not necessary. The principle of present method is not limited to the grain type phenotype and can also be used for the directional detection and identification of other target traits and allele genes.
REALizing and improving management of stable COPD in China: Results of a multicentre, prospective, observational study (REAL)
Authors: Yang Ting , Cai Baiqiang , Cao Bin , Kang Jian , Wen Fuqiang , Chen Yahong , Jian Wenhua , Wang Chen , Fei Yue
Published: March 2022

Background
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management in China is far from adequate, with underdiagnosis and undertreatment being the major barriers to optimal care and improved patient outcomes. To better understand the burden of COPD and its management in China, real-world characterization of the severity and treatment of COPD across the country is needed.
Methods
We conducted a 52-week multicentre, prospective, observational study on outpatients (≥ 40 years old) diagnosed with COPD, enrolled from 50 secondary and tertiary hospitals across six geographical regions. Data were collected in routine clinical practice.
Results
Between December 2017 and August 2020, 5013 patients were enrolled and 4978 included in the analysis. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 66.2 (8.9) years and 79.5% were male. Most COPD outpatients (90%) had moderate-to-very-severe airflow limitation (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] II–IV). Overall, the annual rate (per patient) of COPD exacerbations of any severity was 0.56 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54–0.58). During 1-year, 1536 (30.8%) patients experienced ≥ 1 exacerbation of any severity and 960 (19.3%) patients had ≥ 1 exacerbation requiring hospitalization/emergency visit. The annual severe exacerbation rate was 0.31 (95% CI: 0.29–0.33). Mean (SD) COPD assessment test score was 14.6 (7.6) at baseline and 10.6 (6.8) at follow-up; however, 42–55% of patients had persistent dyspnoea, chest tightness and wheezing at 1-year. The most prescribed treatments were inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) combination (36.0%), ICS/LABA + long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) (17.7%) and LAMA monotherapy (15.3%). Among patients with high exacerbation risk (GOLD Groups C and D), 10.1% and 13.1, respectively, did not receive any long-acting inhalers; only 53.8% and 63.6% of Group C and D patients with ≥ 1 exacerbation during follow-up were prescribed ICS-containing therapy, respectively. Mean (SD) adherence (actual drug taken days/follow-up days) for long-acting inhalers was 59.0% (34.3). Mean (SD) score for the COPD questionnaire was 6.7 (2.4).
Conclusions
These results indicate a high burden of severe exacerbations and symptoms in Chinese outpatients with COPD, and low adherence with treatment guidelines, highlighting the need for more effective management nationwide.
Trial Registration:
The trial was registered on 20 March 2017 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03131362).
Flower-like meristem conditions and spatial constraints shape architecture of floral pseudanthia in Apioideae
Authors: Baczyński Jakub , Celep Ferhat , Spalik Krzysztof , Claßen-Bockhoff Regine
Published: March 2022

BackgroundsPseudanthia are multiflowered units that resemble single flowers, frequently by association with pseudocorollas formed by enlarged peripheral florets (ray flowers). Such resemblance is not only superficial, because numerous pseudanthia originate from peculiar reproductive meristems with flower-like characteristics, i.e., floral unit meristems (FUMs). Complex, FUM-derived pseudanthia with ray flowers are especially common in Apiaceae but our knowledge about their patterning is scanty. In this paper we aimed to investigate both the genetic and morphological basis of their development. Results We analysed umbel morphogenesis with SEM in six species representing four clades of Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae with independently acquired floral pseudanthia. Additionally, using in situ hybridization, we investigated expression patterns of LEAFY (LFY), UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO), and CYCLOIDEA (CYC) during secondary umbel development in carrot (Daucus carota subsp. carota). Here, we show that initial differences in size and shape of umbel meristems influence the position of ray flower formation, whereas an interplay between peripheral promotion and spatial constraints in umbellet meristems take part in the establishment of specific patterns of zygomorphy in ray flowers of Apiaceae. This space-dependent patterning results from flower-like morphogenetic traits of the secondary umbel which are also visible at the molecular level. Transcripts of DcLFY are uniformly distributed in the incipient umbel, umbellet and flower meristems, while DcCYC shows divergent expression in central and peripheral florets.Conclusions Our results indicate that secondary umbels develop from determinate reproductive meristems with flower-like characteristics, which supports their recognition as floral units. The great architectural diversity and complexity of pseudanthia in Apiaceae can be explained by the unique conditions of FUMs – an interplay between expression of regulatory genes, specific spatiotemporal ontogenetic constraints and morphogenetic gradients arising during expansion and repetitive fractionation. Alongside Asteraceae, umbellifers constitute an interesting model for investigation of patterning in complex pseudanthia.
HDAC Inhibitor and BCL2 Selective Inhibitor Synergistically Exert Cytotoxicity on Human Myeloma Cells by Upregulating BIM Expression
Authors: Cao Liqin , Chen Haoguang , Chen Qingxiao , Gu Huiyao , Li Yi , Cao Wen , Liu Yang , Qu Jianwei , Hou Yifan , Chen Jing , Zhang Enfan , He Jingsong , Cai Zhen
Published: March 2022

Background
Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy with almost all patients eventually having relapse or refractory MM (RRMM), thus novel drugs or combination therapies are needed for improved prognosis. Chidamide and venetoclax, which target histone deacetylase and BCL2, respectively, are two promising agents for the treatment of RRMM.
Results
Herein, we found that chidamide and venetoclax synergistically exert an anti-myeloma effect in vitro in human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs) with a combination index (CI) < 1. Moreover, the synergistic anti-myeloma effect of these two drugs was demonstrated in primary MM cells and MM xenograft mice. Mechanistically, co-exposure to chidamide and venetoclax led to cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 and a sharp increase in DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). In addition, the combination of chidamide and venetoclax resulted in BCL-XL downregulation and BIM upregulation, and the latter protein was proved to play a critical role in sensitizing HMCLs to co-treatment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these results proved the high therapeutic potential of venetoclax and chidamide combination in curing MM, representing a potent and alternative salvage therapy for the treatment of RRMM.
Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment Questionnaire (PPLA-Q) for adolescents (15-18 years) from grades 10-12: item response theory analysis of the content knowledge questionnaire
Authors: Mota João , Martins João , Onofre Marcos
Published: March 2022

Background
Aims of this study were to assess construct validity (dimensionality and measurement invariance) and reliability of the previously developed Cognitive module of the Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment – Questionnaire (PPLA-Q). Secondary aims were to assess whether using distractor information was useful for higher precision, and whether a total sum-score has enough precision for applied PE settings.
Methods
Parametric Item Response Theory (IRT) models were estimated using a final sample of 508 Portuguese adolescents (Mage= 16, SD = 1 years) studying in public schools in Lisbon. A retest subsample of 73 students, collected 15 days after baseline, was used to calculate Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Svenson’s ordinal paired agreement.
Results
A mixed 2-parameter nested logit + graded response model provided the best fit to the data, C2 (21) = 23.92, p = .21; CFI = .98; RMSEAC2= .017 [0,.043] with no misfitting items. Modelling distractor information provided an increase in available information and thus, reliability. There was evidence of differential item functioning in one item in favor of male students, however it did not translate in statistically significant differences at test level (sDTF = -0.06; sDTF% = -0.14). Average score reliability was low (marginal reliability = .60); while adequate reliability was attained in the − 2 to -1 θ range. ICC results suggest poor to moderate test-retest reliability (ICC = .56, [.38, .70]); while Svenson’s method resulted in 6 out of 10 items with acceptable agreement (> .70), and 4 remaining items revealing a small individual variability across time points. We found a high correlation (r = .91 [.90,.93]) among sum-score and scores derived from calibrated mixed model.
Conclusions
Evidence supports the construct validity of the cognitive module of the PPLA-Q to assess Content Knowledge in the Portuguese PE context for grade 10–12 (15–18 years) adolescents. This test attainted acceptable reliability for distinguishing student with transitional knowledge (between Foundation and Mastery), with further revisions needed to target full spectrum of θ. Its sum-score might be used in applied settings to get a quick overview of student’s knowledge; for precision IRT score is recommended. Further scrutiny of test-retest reliability is warranted in future research, along with the use of 3-parameter logistic models.
Tile-Based Microscopic Image Processing For Malaria Screening Using Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Abdurahman Fetulhak , Fante Kinde Anlay
Published: March 2022

Background: Manual microscopic examination remains the golden standard for malaria diagnosis. However, it is cumbersome and requires the experience of pathologists for accurate diagnosis. The shear workload and challenges involved in manual microscopy drives for alternative computer-aided diagnosis techniques. While the importance of computer-aided diagnosis is increasing at an enormous pace fostered by the advancement of deep learning algorithms, there are still challenges. Existing state-of-the-art (SOTA) deep learning-based object detection models suffer from effectively detecting small objects which are less represented on benchmark datasets and are affected by the loss of detailed spatial information due to in-network feature map downscaling. The problem even becomes harder when the input image is high resolution. This is due to the fact that existing SOTA models will not directly process high-resolution images limited by their low-resolution network input size. ﻿Methods: In this study, an effective and robust tile-based image processing approach was proposed to enhance malaria parasite detection performance of SOTA object detection models. Three YOLOV4 based object detectors were adopted considering their detection speed and accuracy. The proposed detection models were developed by using tiles generated from 1,780 high-resolution P. falciparum-infected thick smear microscopic images. External validation was performed to verify the detection accuracy and generalization ability of the proposed models on three datasets acquired from a different domain.Results: The best-performing model leveraging the proposed tile-based approach significantly outperforms its baseline method (Recall, [95.3%] vs [57%] and Average Precision, [87.1%] vs [76%]). In addition, the proposed method achieved state-of-the-art performance compared with previous research works which use different machine learning techniques on similar datasets.Conclusions: The obtained qualitative and empirical results show that the proposed method reveals a fundamental performance improvement for the detection of P. falciparum from thick smear microscopic images while maintaining real-time speed. Furthermore, the proposed method could have the potential to assist and reduce the workload of laboratory technicians in malaria-endemic remote areas in developing countries where there is a critical skill gap and shortage of experts.
Gender-Related Differences in the association of serum levels of vitamin D with body mass index in northern Iranian population: The PERSIAN Guilan Cohort Study (PGCS)
Authors: Joukar Farahnaz , Asgharnezhad Mehrnaz , Naghipour Mohammadreza , Mojtahedi Kourosh , Salari Arsalan , Mansour-Ghanaei Alireza , Mansour-Ghanaei Fariborz
Published: March 2022

Background
Vitamin D insufficiency has now become a global problem throughout the world. The association between increasing body mass index (BMI) and vitamin D insufficiency has attracted great attention in recent researches. The aim was to study if BMI was independently associated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in a large population-based study, specify by gender.
Methods
Data on 9520 adults 35 years and older participating in PERSIAN Guilan Cohort Study (PGCS) were used. Serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D less than 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L) was used as a measure of vitamin D inadequacy. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were used to estimate the strength of the association between vitamin D and BMI before and after adjusting for demographic factors and lifestyle variables.
Results
After adjustment in male population, overweight (adjusted OR= 1.2, P = 0.03) and obese (adjusted OR= 1.4, P = 0.001) individuals were more likely to have vitamin D inadequacy than normal weight counterparts. Moreover, there was a weak inverse linear association between BMI and serum 25 OHD levels in males (β = -0.14, P value= 0.001). In contrast, no significant associations between BMI and serum 25 OHD levels were observed in females. In male population, higher BMI were associated with lower serum vitamin 25 (OH) D levels.
Conclusion
However, this association was not observed in female population. The suggestion of current study for public health was special consideration to serum vitamin D levels in over weight and obese males.
DENTIGEROUS CYST ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSMIGRATED MANDIBULAR CANINE - A CASE REPORT
Authors:   Intern, Oral Medicine & Radiology, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Sunil Kumar Saurav , M. Sandra ,   Intern, Oral Medicine & Radiology, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Rao Kshma ,   Postgraduate, Oral Medicine & Radiology, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Shetty Tejkiran ,   Postgraduate, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Kumar Karthik ,   Postgraduate, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Baliga Ashwini ,   Assistant Professor, Oral Medicine & Radiology, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Kumar Rao Prasanna ,   Professor, Oral Medicine & Radiology, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Shetty Nandesh ,   Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., Kini Raghavendra ,   Professor and Head, Oral Medicine & Radiology, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India., B. Nayak Preethi ,   Reader, Oral Pathology, A.J Institute of Dental Sciences, Kuntikana, Mangalore 575004, Karnataka, India.
Published: March 2022

A dentigerous cyst is an asymptomatic lesion of odontogenic origin mostly involving the mandible. It is associated with the crown of unerupted, partially erupted, or impacted teeth with a higher incidence occurring in males. It is discovered during routine radiographic examinations unless manifests clinically as a large lesion. Radiographically, a dentigerous cyst presents as a radiolucent lesion enveloping the crown of the involved tooth. Enucleation and marsupialization are the surgical modalities. Here we report a case of dentigerous cyst involving mandibular right transmigrated canine.
IS GRAVITATIONAL VACUUM ENERGY RENORMALIZEDIN NEUTRON STAR BINARY?
Authors:   School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi Normal University,Guilin, 541004, P.R. China., Wang Jing
Published: March 2022

The vacuum energy of fluctuating quantum fields has been intensively studied by analyzing boundary conditions on the objects. By treating the two star components, making up of a wide neutron star (NS) binary with orbital separation of , as two Dirichlet point particles on the radial line, we calculate the quantum vacuum energy of fluctuating gravitational fields, arising from the Newtonian gravitational scalar potential and a gravitational vector potential that leads to the spiral-in orbital motion of the system. It is found that the stress tensor, which is responsible for the fluctuations of gravitational fields, gives rise to a finite quantum vacuum energy inside the binary system, i.e., in the region of . Accordingly, both objects making up of the binary are imposed by an additionally finite and attractive stress of . While outside the system, , the gravitational vacuum energy consists of a divergent term , resulting from the free Greens function without any presence of gravitational sources, and a term of that disappears when the distance is far away from the sources. However, the gravitational Casimir force imposed on NS binary is a finite one, because the fluctuating gravitational fields vanish on the star, on which the stress tensor appears discontinuity.
Is cash flow growth helping stock performance during the COVID-19 outbreak? Evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Meliana Meliana , Kesuma Hyacynthia , Enjelina Desy , Rijanto Arief , Savitri Saraswati Dewi
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unexpected event that causes stock market investors to panic so that their value drops drastically. Operating cash flow and free cash flow are indicators of a company’s financial statements that are used as a reference for investors’ decision making in the stock market. A firm’s cash flows reflect real changes in the firm’s value for money. Cash flow growth can provide information on how well the firm’s performance is in generating incremental cash inflows that can increase firm value. This study aims to explore the relationship between cash flow growth before the COVID-19 pandemic and after the COVID-19 outbreak on stock price performance. This study uses the OLS regression method with a total sample of 426 companies in the Indonesian capital market in the period March 2, 2020 to March 2, 2021. The results show that cash flow growth from operations and free cash flow growth had no significant effect on stock return after COVID-19 outbreaks in years 2020 to 2021. Sales growth, market capitalization and stock return before the COVID-19 outbreak from 2019 to 2020 had a significant negative correlation with the post COVID-19 outbreak stock return. Then, sectors whose stock performance is positively correlated after the COVID-19 outbreak are basic industry, chemicals, miscellaneous industry and infrastructure. This shows that the economic crisis caused by COVID-19 is an anomaly in the stock market. Therefore, cash flow is not relevant information for investors in predicting a company’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Análise Epidemiológica de pacientes com doença de Parkinson nos últimos 5 anos nas regiões brasileiras
Authors: Nogueira dos Santos da Conceição Ritaley , Calmon Nogueira da Gama Pereira Ana Beatriz
Published: March 2022

A Doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma doença neurodegenerativa comum, com uma fisiopatologia complexa. Além de uma etiologia e história natural pouco conhecida e tratamento curativo ainda não definido. Foi realizada uma coleta observacional, descritiva e transversal dos dados de Doença de Parkinson, disponíveis no DATASUS – Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do SUS (SIH/SUS), do período de Janeiro de 2015 a Dezembro de 2019. Observou-se um total de 5099 internações sendo 89,52% maiores de 50 anos, com uma concentração na faixa etária dos 60-70 anos, e 58,77% componentes do sexo masculino. Com uma mortalidade crescente, a distribuição nacional da doença se concentra na região sudeste, todavia é a região norte que tem a maior taxa de mortalidade. Em comparação a literatura disponível, esses fatos se mostram assertivos, chamando atenção todavia para a alta mortalidade do sexo feminino, e a relação inversa entre incidência e mortalidade nas regiões brasileiras. Conclui-se então, que DP é uma condição clínica de grande relevância, sendo possível observar um grupo de risco para o qual deve ser estabelecido ações de diagnóstico e terapia precoce, a fim de melhorar a qualidade de vida final desses pacientes.
Violência obstétrica e humanização no parto. Percepção de alunos de graduação em Medicina e Enfermagem
Authors: Alves Costa Juliana , de Almeida Silveira Juliana , Da Cunha Gonçalves Sebastião Jorge , Almeida de Souza Maria Cristina
Published: March 2022

A violência obstétrica encontra-se em diversas expressões e omissões direcionadas a mulher durante o pré-natal, parto e/ou puerpério, causando dor e sofrimento desnecessários, desrespeitando sua autonomia e integridade física e mental. A humanização, por sua vez, vem destacando-se na assistência ao parto ao defender o protagonismo feminino da mulher ao parir. Diante isso, a humanização deve ser amplamente inserida na formação acadêmica para que os futuros profissionais atuem de forma a acolher a paciente, respeitando suas vontades e desejos. Teve por objetivo verificar a percepção dos estudantes do internato do Curso de Medicina e do estágio supervisionado do Curso de Enfermagem da Universidade de Vassouras sobre a violência obstétrica e a humanização na assistência ao parto. Foi realizada uma pesquisa transversal, de natureza quantitativa, cujos dados foram coletados, via google forms, utilizando-se um questionário estruturado com 10 perguntas. A amostra, por conveniência, não probabilística, foi constituída por 102 estudantes, sendo 72 do curso de medicina e 30 do curso de enfermagem. Dentre as respostas, entre as com maior taxa de divergência estão a realização da manobra de Kristeller e o incentivo ao uso de fórmulas em detrimento ao aleitamento materno exclusivo sem a devida indicação. Já as com maior número de concordância estão: o incentivo o desmame precoce e induzir a cesariana sem indicação. Conclui-se que os estudantes, apesar de conhecerem os conceitos de VO, divergiram em suas percepções, sendo os do curso de enfermagem aqueles que alcançaram maior percentual de respostas corretas.

Palavras-chave: Parto Humanizado; Violência Obstétrica; Humanização da Assistência.
Teoria do documento
Authors: Lund Niels Windfeld , Sanches Neto Asy Pepe , Rodrigues Gabriela Fernanda Ribeiro , Fonseca Vitor Manoel Marques da
Published: March 2022

O artigo apresenta uma revisão de literatura a partir de uma abordagem histórica, busca demonstrar como as diferentes compreensões acerca do conceito de documento evoluíram em relação umas às outras e também em relação às mudanças nas comunidades profissionais e acadêmicas, assim como na sociedade em geral. Aprofunda os estudos a partir das teorias a capacidade de complementar tanto as pesquisas feitas em torno da Documentação com vistas a entender a construção do conceito de documento e como esse pode ser inserido nas práticas dos profissionais de informação.
Fullerenes For Anticancer Drug Targeting: Teaching An Old Dog A New
Trick
Authors: Sharma Manu , Dhiman Shikha , Kaur Amardeep
Published: March 2022

Fullerenes are the allotropic form of carbon consisting of a cage-like structure due to which
they have attained special attention from researchers since their discovery in 1985. The unique chemical
and physical properties of fullerene have attracted researchers to develop a variety of its biomedical
applications. The closed cage structure of fullerenes can be used for various drug delivery applications
and can also act as a medium for controlled release formulations. The development of targeted
anticancer drug and drug delivery systems is one of the most challenging fields, which is widely studied
and researched. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive review on the most recent advances
in fullerenes as targeted anticancer drug delivery systems along with their therapeutic applications
and challenges, thus serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology community.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Polyethylene Glycol-4000-Co-Poly (AMPS)
Based Hydrogel Membranes for Controlled Release of Mupirocin for
Efficient Wound Healing
Authors: Minhas Muhammad Usman , Ahmad Sarfaraz , Khan Kifayat Ullah , Sohail Muhammad , Abdullah Orva , Khalid Ikrima , Malik Nadia Shamshad
Published: March 2022

Background:

Chronic wound healing is a major challenge for the health care system around
the globe. The current study was conducted to develop and characterize chemically cross-linked polyethylene
glycol-co-poly (AMPS) hydrogel membranes to enhance the wound healing efficiency of antibiotic
mupirocin (MP).

Methods:

Free radical polymerization technique was used to develop hydrogel membranes. In an aqueous
medium, polymer PEG-4000 was cross-linked with the monomer 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane
sulfonic acid (AMPS) in the presence of initiators ammonium peroxide sulfate (APS) and sodium hydrogen
sulfite (SHS). N, N-Methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) was used as a cross-linker in preparing
hydrogel membranes. Developed membranes were spherical, transparent, and had elasticity. FTIR,
TGA/DSC, and SEM were used to characterize the polymeric system. Swelling behavior, drug loading,
and release pattern at pH of 5.5 and 7.4, irritation study, ex vivo drug permeation, and deposition study
were also evaluated.

Results:

Formed membranes were spherical, transparent, and had elasticity. The formation of a stable
polymeric network was confirmed by structural and thermal analysis. Evaluation of the drug permeability
in the skin showed good permeation and retention capabilities. No irritancy to the skin was observed.

Conclusion:

Based on the results obtained, the present study concluded that the formulated stable network
might be an ideal network for the delivery of mupirocin in skin infections.
The Antibacterial Potential of Ciprofloxacin Hybrids against Staphylococcus
aureus
Authors: Zang Wenhua , Li Danxia , Gao Li , Gao Shuang , Hao Pengfei , Bian Hua
Published: March 2022

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), an important pathogen of both humans and animals, can cause a variety of infections at any site of the body. The evolution of S. aureus resistance is no-torious, and the widespread of drug-resistant S. aureus, especially methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), has made the treatment difficult in recent decades. Nowadays, S. aureus is among the leading causes of bacterial infections, creating an urgent need for the development of novel antibac-terial agents. Ciprofloxacin, characterized by high clinical efficacy, is a broad-spectrum antibacteri-al agent with frequency of prescription for various Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, many of which are resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. However, the long-term and widespread use of this antibiotic has led to the emergence of ciprofloxacin-resistant pathogens, and ciprofloxa-cin-resistant S. aureus has been noted in clinical practice. Ciprofloxacin hybrids have been recog-nized as advanced chemical entities to simultaneously modulate multiple drug targets in bacteria, so ciprofloxacin hybrids have the potential to overcome drug resistance. The present review provides an overview of ciprofloxacin hybrids with anti-S. aureus potential that has been reported in the last decade with an emphasis on their structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action.
Does Methylene Blue Satisfy an Option in COVID-19 ARDS
Authors: Yella Sri Hari Tanguturi , Yella Sree Sudha Tanguturi , Sasanka Kota Sesha Brahma Shree Krishna , Thangaraju Pugazhenthan
Published: March 2022

Background:

In COVID-19, the respiratory tract is usually affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Due to viral transmission in the blood and an overwhelming inflammatory response, including
cytokine storm, the condition can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome and failure. Methylene
blue is the only medicine that has been shown to reduce the excessive generation of reactive
species and cytokines.

Case Presentation:

A 51-year-old male patient came to the hospital with shortness of breath. At room
air, the patient was having 70% Spo2. The patient was treated with a noninvasive ventilator (NIV) and
Standard of care (SOC). Due to prolonged hypoxia and respiratory distress, the patient was treated with
NIV and the methylene blue (MB) was given in a humidifier for 5 days.

Result:

Methylene blue resulted in a significant decrease in respiratory distress and a steep rise in Spo2.

Conclusion:

We suggest trying methylene blue as an additional intervention in COVID-related acute
respiratory distress to avoid the disease's devastating consequences.
Synthesis, In vitro Antibacterial and Antimycobacterial Activity and Docking
Study of Thieno(3,2-e)(1,2,4)triazolo(1,5-c)pyrimidines
Authors: Malothu Narender , Jojula Malathi , Kaki Venkat Rao , Adidala Raghuram Reddy , Akkinepally Raghuram Rao
Published: March 2022

Background:

Emergence of drug resistance and severe side effects with current an-titubercular drugs urges the development of more efficacious and safer new agents. The present study focused on this direction to develop new hetero-fused pyrimidines as potential antitubercu-lar agents.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to synthesize and assess the antibacterial and antimy-cobacterial activity of novel 1,2,4-triazole ring bearing hetero-fused thienopyrimidines (6a-j & 7a-j). Also to evaluate the binding pattern of synthesized molecules at the target site and study their ADME properties by in silico tools.

Methods:

Two series of hetero fused thienopyrimidines (6a-j & 7a-j) were synthesized and tested for their antibacterial potentiality against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, and K. pneumonia. Com-pounds with potential antibacterial activity were further tested for their antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv and an isoniazid (INH)-resistant clinical sam-ple of MTB using broth microdilution method. The binding efficacy at the enzyme site was eval-uated by the molecular docking study using pantothenate synthetase (MTB-PS) (PDB: 3IVX) as the target protein. Further, in silico ADME properties of title compounds were explored by Swiss ADME online tools.

Results:

In this study, few compounds were found promising in exhibiting potent inhibitory ac-tivity against E. coli and MTB. Among these compounds, 6h (MTB: MIC-17.13±0.88 μM) and 6i (MTB: MIC-17.55±0.72 μM) displayed significant antimycobacterial activity. The molecular docking results suggested the efficient binding of biologically potential molecules.

Conclusion:

Compounds bearing N-benzyl moiety at the core nucleus with a p-nitro aryl side chain (6h) exhibited significant antitubercular activity. In silico studies showed effective binding at the target site and also indicated good compatibility in ADME properties.
Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Combination Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes: Protocol for a Kidney End Points Real-world Study (COMBi-KID Study)
Authors: Feher Michael , Hinton William , Forbes Anna , Munro Neil , Joy Mark , Wheeler David , de Lusignan Simon
Published: March 2022

Background

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are both considered to be part of standard care in the management of glycemia in type 2 diabetes. Recent trial evidence has indicated benefits on primary kidney end points for individual drugs within each medication class. Despite the potential benefits of combining SGLT2is and GLP-1RAs for glycemia management, according to national and international guideline recommendations, there is currently limited data on kidney end points for this drug combination.

Objective

The aims of the study are to assess the real-world effects of combination SGLT2i and GLP-1RA therapies for diabetes management on kidney end points, glycemic control, and weight in people with type 2 diabetes who are being treated with renin-angiotensin system blockade medication.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study will use the electronic health records of people with type 2 diabetes that are registered with general practices covering over 15 million people in England and Wales and are included in the Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre network. A propensity score–matched cohort of prevalent new users of SGLT2is and GLP-1RAs and those who have been prescribed SGLT2is and GLP-1RAs in combination will be identified. They will be matched based on drug histories, comorbidities, and demographics. A repeated-measures, multilevel, linear regression analysis will be performed to compare the mean change (from baseline) in estimated glomerular filtration rate at 12 and 24 months between those who switched to combined therapy and those continuing monotherapy with an SGLT2i or GLP-1RA. The secondary end points will be albuminuria, serum creatinine level, glycated hemoglobin level, and BMI. These will also be assessed for change at the 12- and 24-month follow-ups.

Results

The study is due to commence in March 2022 and is expected to be complete by September 2022.

Conclusions

Our study will be the first to assess the impact of combination SGLT2i and GLP-1RA therapy in type 2 diabetes on primary kidney end points from a real-world perspective.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/34206
Remote Hearing Aid Fitting in Adults: a systematic review (Preprint)
Authors: Ayache Eva , Tuset Maria Pia , Daval Mary , Levy Daniel , Ayache Denis
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Deafness is a disability affecting 430 million people worldwide. Hearing aids are one of the most common ways to deal with this disability. Once delivered, hearing aids must be adjusted by an audiologist. Until now, this adjustment was done face-to-face, which can be a problem in area with limited access to healthcare, audiology centers, for people with mobility problems or, more recently, during coronavirus pandemic. In the era of pandemic teleaudiology gained in popularity.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of remote hearing aids fitting procedures in adults.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted in agreement with the PRISMA 2020 statement, across 4 databases (Cochrane, PubMed, Science Direct and Web of Science), with the following search string: (hearing aid) AND (eHealth OR remote OR teleaudiology OR telehealth OR telemedicine) AND (fitting OR programming) NOT (children OR babies OR infants OR implant).

RESULTS

After completing all stages of a systematic review, our search retrieved 8 articles for full analysis: 4 interventional controlled studies, 2 case studies and 2 systematic reviews. Several issues, such as time of consultation, patient satisfaction, quality of care or hearing results were investigated and showed no significant differences between face-to-face and remote hearing aids fitting

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review showed strong evidences to support the use of remote hearing aids fitting, as a standard of care particularly for remote and underserved locations, patients with reduced mobility or in situations of pandemic lockdown.
Construction of a Breast Cancer Diagnosis Knowledge Graph Based on Chinese Electronic Medical Records: Development and Usability Study (Preprint)
Authors: Li Xiaolong , Sun Shuifa , Tang Tinglong , Lu Ji , Zhang Lijuan , Yin Jie , Geng Qian , Wu Yirong
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women, severely threatening the health of women worldwide. Designing an effective data management and processing system to help collect, manage, and use variables for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment has become an urgent need. As an important part of artificial intelligence, a knowledge graph provides an ideal means to solve this problem.

OBJECTIVE

Our study intends to utilize the natural language processing (NLP) technique on Chinese breast cancer mammography reports to effectively identify and extract the features related to breast cancer and construct a knowledge graph for breast cancer diagnosis.

METHODS

This paper focuses on the knowledge graph frame structure and feature extraction that were the main challenges for constructing a Chinese breast cancer diagnosis knowledge graph. Based on mammography examination guidelines and specifications, as well as clinical experiences and recommendations of experts in the hospital, we define entities, entity attributes, and entity relationships for constructing the concept layer of a knowledge graph. From mammography examination reports, we extract mammographic features using deep learning models, with which we build a knowledge graph for breast cancer diagnosis.

RESULTS

When annotating mammography examination reports in NLP tasks, we have identified 15 important types of mammographic features. To improve the versatility of the constructed knowledge graph, we have added additional 7 types of mammographic features. Mammographic features are extracted from a total of 1171 mammography examination reports. For the overall results of the model, the recognition accuracy rate is 98.97%, the accuracy rate is 97.16%, the recall rate is 98.06%, and F1 is 97.61. Based on the structure of the concept layer of the knowledge graph, we import the demographic risk factors and mammographic features extracted from the text reports into the Neo4j graph database to complete the construction of the knowledge graph.

CONCLUSIONS

We constructed a Breast Cancer Diagnosis Knowledge Graph Based on Chinese Electronic Medical Records. Through the evaluation of the design of the concept layer, the construction of the data layer, and the functions of the application layer, the rationality, effectiveness, and practicability of the knowledge graph are demonstrated. This study provides a reference for the rapid design and construction of knowledge graph for other disease diagnosis and treatment.
Assessment of an online novel interactive education module for teaching rapid sequence intubation: using video laryngoscopy and Google Survey to measure confidence and knowledge acquisition (Preprint)
Authors: Briggs Blake , Kalra Sarathi , Masneri David , Husain Iltifat
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND

Teaching procedural skills via digital platforms is challenging. There is a paucity of literature on the feasibility of implementing an online asynchronous web-based learning (WBL) module for rapid sequence intubation in Emergency Medicine (EM). The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an online airway management module and investigate knowledge acquisition. Learners completed a pre-test questionnaire prior to reviewing the module to assess their current knowledge. After completion of the online module, another assessment on airway management competency was completed.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of our study was to determine the feasibility of implementing an online airway module and investigate knowledge acquisition among learners who completed the module. Additionally, we sought to compare the relationship between pre-module confidence and knowledge between various training levels of those who completed the module.

METHODS

All responses were collected using Google Survey and data was collected over a period of six months. We performed descriptive statistics for the pre- and post-module. Frequency distribution was used for data summarization and chi-square test was used to assess the difference between variables.

RESULTS

We received 366 responses in the pre-test and 105 in post-test. Responses were summarized into five categories which assessed knowledge about airway technique, anatomical landmarks, formulas for selecting blade size, tube size, depth of tube, and case-based scenarios. For airway technique, correct responses improved from 54% in the pre-test module to 77% in the post-test category. For anatomical landmarks, 70% to 88%. Case-based scenarios and formulas noted an increase of 30% each, with 36% to 66% in the former and 48% to 78% in the latter. We found a higher level of confidence during intubation existed in learners with more years of training (91% vs 44%, p<0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate this WBL airway module enabled significant knowledge acquisition, as well as increased confidence when approaching airway management. Overall, every post-test question showed a higher percentage of correct answers when compared to pre-test. This is the first study to demonstrate how a WBL airway module is a feasible method of asynchronous education for healthcare providers in all levels of training.