bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in People With Severe Mental Illness in Bangladesh and Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Rajan Sukanya , Paton Lewis W. , Chowdhury Asiful Haidar , Zavala Gerardo A. , Aslam Faiza , Huque Rumana , Khalid Humaira , Murthy Pratima , Nizami Asad T. , Prasad Muliyala Krishna , Shiers David , Siddiqi Najma , Boehnke Jan R.
Published: February 2022

Background

People with severe mental illnesses (SMIs) are likely to face disproportionate challenges during a pandemic. They may not receive or be able to respond to public health messages to prevent infection or to limit its spread. Additionally, they may be more severely affected, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

We conducted a telephone survey (May–June 2020) in a sample of 1,299 people with SMI who had attended national mental health institutes in Bangladesh and Pakistan before the pandemic. We collected information on top worries, socioeconomic impact of the pandemic, knowledge of COVID-19 (symptoms, prevention), and prevention-related practices (social distancing, hygiene). We explored the predictive value of socio-demographic and health-related variables for relative levels of COVID-19 knowledge and practice using regularized logistic regression models.

Findings

Mass media were the major source of information about COVID-19. Finances, employment, and physical health were the most frequently mentioned concerns. Overall, participants reported good knowledge and following advice. In Bangladesh, being female and higher levels of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) predicted poor and better knowledge, respectively, while in Pakistan being female predicted better knowledge. Receiving information from television predicted better knowledge in both countries. In Bangladesh, being female, accessing information from multiple media sources, and better HRQoL predicted better practice. In Pakistan, poorer knowledge of COVID-19 prevention measures predicted poorer practice.

Conclusion

Our paper adds to the literature on people living with SMIs and their knowledge and practices relevant to COVID-19 prevention. Our results emphasize the importance of access to mass and social media for the dissemination of advice and that the likely gendered uptake of both knowledge and practice requires further attention.
A Mini-Review of Pharmacological and Psychosocial Interventions for Reducing Irritability Among Youth With ADHD
Authors: Breaux Rosanna , Dunn Nicholas C. , Swanson Courtney S. , Larkin Emma , Waxmonsky James , Baweja Raman
Published: February 2022

Approximately a third of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience significant irritability; despite this, no study has reviewed whether interventions for youth with ADHD can improve irritability. This mini review sought to address this gap in the literature by discussing existing pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for irritability among children and adolescents with ADHD. A literature search was conducted in April 2021, with a total of 12 intervention articles identified (six pharmacological, one psychosocial, five combined). Studies were excluded if they did not involve an intervention, a measure of irritability, or the population was not youth with ADHD. Of these articles, two were with an ADHD only sample; seven included ADHD with comorbid disruptive behavior, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), or severe mood dysregulation (SMD); and three included ADHD with comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Findings suggest that central nervous system stimulants used alone or in combination with behavior therapy are effective at reducing irritability in youth with ADHD only or comorbid ADHD and DMDD/SMD. Less evidence was found for the efficacy of guanfacine and atomoxetine for youth with ADHD only or comorbid ADHD and ASD. Parent training alone or in combination with atomoxetine was found to be effective at reducing irritability in youth with comorbid ADHD and ASD. Future research assessing the efficacy of other psychosocial interventions, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy is necessary, as are randomized trials assessing intervention sequencing and intensity among youth with ADHD. Researchers are advised to utilize well-validated measures of irritability in future research.
Elective Surgery for Diverticulitis in Swiss Hospitals
Authors: Faes Seraina , Hübner Martin , Demartines Nicolas , Hahnloser Dieter , Martin David ,   The Swiss Snapshot Diverticulitis Group
Published: February 2022

Objective: To assess current management of diverticulitis in Switzerland.

Methods: Prospective observational study of diverticulitis management and outcomes in surgical departments over a 3-month time period. Hospital category was graded according to the Swiss Medical Association (FMH) as: U: University; A: Cantonal; B: Regional; P: Private.

Results: 75 participating hospitals treated 1,015 patients, among whom 214 patients (21%) had elective sigmoid resections in 49 hospitals. Indication for elective resection were recurrent diverticulitis, previous complicated diverticulitis, fistulas, and stenosis. Surgeries were performed completely laparoscopically in 185 cases (86%) and required conversion to open in 19 cases (9%). Overall postoperative complication rate was 18% (n = 39) and no mortality was observed. Operation time, surgeons experience and hospital stay differed considerably between hospital categories.

Conclusions: Elective sigmoid resection for diverticulitis in Switzerland was mainly performed laparoscopically with low postoperative morbidity. Different practices and outcomes between institutions were observed.
Clinical Analysis of the Treatment of Primary Trigeminal Neuralgia by Percutaneous Balloon Compression
Authors: Wang Hui , Chen Chunhui , Chen Da , Li Fengsheng , Hu Shan , Ding Wenqian , Wang Jun , Chen Wanghua
Published: February 2022

Purpose

To summarize the technical points and clinical effects of percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) in the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia.

Methods

The clinical data of 13 patients with trigeminal neuralgia who received PBC from April 2020 to July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. VAS, VRS-4 and PPI were used to evaluate the postoperative pain relief. Different postoperative complications were analyzed.

Results

All patients had a smooth operation, the inflation volume of the balloon was 0.7 ml, the average compression time was 120 s, and there was no balloon rupture during the operation. On the day after operation, 12 patients (92.3%) had complete pain relief, and 1 patient (7.7%) was not satisfied with pain relief, but the pain disappeared 2 weeks after the operation. After operation, there were 12 patients with facial numbness in the affected side (92.3%), 3 patients with masseter muscle weakness (23.0%), 1 patient with herpes around the mouth (7.6%), and 1 patient with diplopia (7.6%).

Conclusion

PBC is an effective minimally invasive surgical method for the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia. It is suitable for the elderly and infirm people, those who cannot tolerate general anesthesia or are afraid of surgery, and patients who had undergone surgery but relapsed after surgery. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the serious facial numbness and postoperative masticatory weakness. These discomforts are generally relieved after half a year.
Influence of Crop and Land Management on Wind Erosion from Sandy Soils in Dryland Agriculture
Authors: Vos Heleen C. , Karst Isabel G. , Eckardt Frank D. , Fister Wolfgang , Kuhn Nikolaus J.
Published: February 2022

Minimizing wind erosion on agricultural fields is of great interest to farmers. There is a general understanding that vegetation can greatly minimize the wind erosion taking place. However, after harvest, a low vegetation cover can be inevitable, whereby the amount of stubble that remains on a field is dependent on the crop type and land management. This study aims at quantifying the vulnerability to wind erosion of different crops, and the possibility to predict the vulnerability based on high precision aerial images. The study area was the semi-arid Free State, which holds large intensive agriculture on sandy soils. These croplands have been identified as the largest emitter of dust in South Africa. The main crop in the region is maize, but also sunflower, peanut and fallow fields are common land-use types. On these fields, the horizontal sediment flux, the saltation threshold, and aerodynamic roughness length were measured, and the soil cover was assessed using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery. The results showed a strong relationship between the soil cover and the sediment flux, whereby fallow and groundnut fields have the highest wind erosion risk. These results emphasize the great importance of soil cover management to prevent wind erosion.
The Antimicrobial Peptide Esc(1-21) Synergizes with Colistin in Inhibiting the Growth and in Killing Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Strains
Authors: Sacco Federica , Bitossi Camilla , Casciaro Bruno , Loffredo Maria Rosa , Fabiano Guendalina , Torrini Luisa , Raponi Flavia , Raponi Giammarco , Mangoni Maria Luisa
Published: February 2022

Multidrug-resistant microbial infections and the scarce availability of new antibiotics capable of eradicating them are posing a serious problem to global health security. Among the microorganisms that easily acquire resistance to antibiotics and that are the etiological cause of severe infections, there is Acinetobacter baumannii. Carbapenems are the principal agents used to treat A. baumannii infections. However, when strains develop resistance to this class of antibiotics, colistin is considered one of the last-resort drugs. However, the appearance of resistance to colistin also makes treatment of the Acinetobacter infections very difficult. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) from the innate immunity hold promise as new alternative antibiotics due to their multiple biological properties. In this study, we characterized the activity and the membrane-perturbing mechanism of bactericidal action of a derivative of a frog-skin AMP, namely Esc(1-21), when used alone or in combination with colistin against multidrug-resistant A. baumannii clinical isolates. We found that the mixture of the two compounds had a synergistic effect in inhibiting the growth and killing of all of the tested strains. When combined at dosages below the minimal inhibitory concentration, the two drugs were also able to slow down the microbial growth and to potentiate the membrane-perturbing effect. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing a synergistic effect between AMPs, i.e., Esc(1-21), and colistin against colistin-resistant A. baumannii clinical isolates, highlighting the potential clinical application of such combinational therapy.
Pathogens and Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Global Bacterial Keratitis: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhang Zijun , Cao Kai , Liu Jiamin , Wei Zhenyu , Xu Xizhan , Liang Qingfeng
Published: February 2022

Bacterial keratitis (BK) is the most common type of infectious keratitis. The spectrum of pathogenic bacteria and their susceptibility to antibiotics varied with the different regions. A meta-analysis was conducted to review the global culture rate, distribution, current trends, and drug susceptibility of isolates from BK over the past 20 years (2000–2020). Four databases were searched, and published date was limited between 2000 and 2020. Main key words were “bacterial keratitis”, “culture results” and “drug resistance”. Forty-two studies from twenty-one countries (35 cities) were included for meta-analysis. The overall positive culture rate was 47% (95%CI, 42–52%). Gram-positive cocci were the major type of bacteria (62%), followed by Gram-negative bacilli (30%), Gram-positive bacilli (5%), and Gram-negative cocci (5%). Staphylococcus spp. (41.4%), Pseudomonas spp. (17.0%), Streptococcus spp. (13.1%), Corynebacterium spp. (6.6%) and Moraxella spp. (4.1%) were the most common bacterial organism. The antibiotic resistance pattern analysis revealed that most Gram-positive cocci were susceptive to aminoglycoside (86%), followed by fluoroquinolone (81%) and cephalosporin (79%). Gram-negative bacilli were most sensitive to cephalosporin (96%) and fluoroquinolones (96%), followed by aminoglycoside (92%). In Gram-positive cocci, the susceptibility trends of fluoroquinolones were decreasing since 2010. Clinics should pay attention to the changing trends of pathogen distribution and their drug resistance pattern and should diagnose and choose sensitive antibiotics based on local data.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Biomolecules in 2021
Authors:   Biomolecules Editorial Office
Published: February 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, Angiogenesis and Cancer
Authors: Poto Remo , Cristinziano Leonardo , Modestino Luca , de Paulis Amato , Marone Gianni , Loffredo Stefania , Galdiero Maria Rosaria , Varricchi Gilda
Published: February 2022

Human neutrophils, the most abundant circulating leukocytes, are fundamental components of the host response against different pathogens. Until a few years ago, neutrophils received limited attention in cancer immunology. Recently, it was discovered that both circulating, and tumor-associated, neutrophils possess functional plasticity when exposed to various inflammatory stimuli and in the tumor microenvironment. Neutrophils and their mediators can exert several pro-tumor activities in cancer and promote metastasis through different mechanisms. Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in inflammation and tumor growth. Activated human neutrophils release several angiogenic factors [vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), angiopoietin-1 (ANGPT1), CXCL8, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9)] and form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs promote tumor growth and metastasis formation through several mechanisms: they can awake dormant cancer cells, capture circulating tumor cells, coat and shield cancer cells, thus preventing CD8+- and natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity. ANGPTs released by endothelial and periendothelial mural cells induce platelet-activating factor (PAF) synthesis and neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells. NETs can directly exert several proangiogenic activities in human endothelial cells and NETs induced by ANGPTs and PAF increase several aspects of angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. A better understanding of the pathophysiological functions of NETs in cancer and angiogenesis could be of importance in the early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of tumors.
Qualitative and Quantitative Comparison of Hippocampal Volumetric Software Applications: Do All Roads Lead to Rome?
Authors: Mangesius Stephanie , Haider Lukas , Lenhart Lukas , Steiger Ruth , Prados Carrasco Ferran , Scherfler Christoph , Gizewski Elke R.
Published: February 2022

Brain volumetric software is increasingly suggested for clinical routine. The present study quantifies the agreement across different software applications. Ten cases with and ten gender- and age-adjusted healthy controls without hippocampal atrophy (median age: 70; 25–75% range: 64–77 years and 74; 66–78 years) were retrospectively selected from a previously published cohort of Alzheimer’s dementia patients and normal ageing controls. Hippocampal volumes were computed based on 3 Tesla T1-MPRAGE-sequences with FreeSurfer (FS), Statistical-Parametric-Mapping (SPM; Neuromorphometrics and Hammers atlases), Geodesic-Information-Flows (GIF), Similarity-and-Truth-Estimation-for-Propagated-Segmentations (STEPS), and Quantib™. MTA (medial temporal lobe atrophy) scores were manually rated. Volumetric measures of each individual were compared against the mean of all applications with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland–Altman plots. Comparing against the mean of all methods, moderate to low agreement was present considering categorization of hippocampal volumes into quartiles. ICCs ranged noticeably between applications (left hippocampus (LH): from 0.42 (STEPS) to 0.88 (FS); right hippocampus (RH): from 0.36 (Quantib™) to 0.86 (FS). Mean differences between individual methods and the mean of all methods [mm3] were considerable (LH: FS −209, SPM-Neuromorphometrics −820; SPM-Hammers −1474; Quantib™ −680; GIF 891; STEPS 2218; RH: FS −232, SPM-Neuromorphometrics −745; SPM-Hammers −1547; Quantib™ −723; GIF 982; STEPS 2188). In this clinically relevant sample size with large spread in data ranging from normal aging to severe atrophy, hippocampal volumes derived by well-accepted applications were quantitatively different. Thus, interchangeable use is not recommended.
The RAF Kinase Inhibitor Protein (RKIP): Good as Tumour Suppressor, Bad for the Heart
Authors: Abd Alla Joshua , Quitterer Ursula
Published: February 2022

The RAF kinase inhibitor protein, RKIP, is a dual inhibitor of the RAF1 kinase and the G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, GRK2. By inhibition of the RAF1-MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway, RKIP acts as a beneficial tumour suppressor. By inhibition of GRK2, RKIP counteracts GRK2-mediated desensitisation of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling. GRK2 inhibition is considered to be cardioprotective under conditions of exaggerated GRK2 activity such as heart failure. However, cardioprotective GRK2 inhibition and pro-survival RAF1-MAPK pathway inhibition counteract each other, because inhibition of the pro-survival RAF1-MAPK cascade is detrimental for the heart. Therefore, the question arises, what is the net effect of these apparently divergent functions of RKIP in vivo? The available data show that, on one hand, GRK2 inhibition promotes cardioprotective signalling in isolated cardiomyocytes. On the other hand, inhibition of the pro-survival RAF1-MAPK pathway by RKIP deteriorates cardiomyocyte viability. In agreement with cardiotoxic effects, endogenous RKIP promotes cardiac fibrosis under conditions of cardiac stress, and transgenic RKIP induces heart dysfunction. Supported by next-generation sequencing (NGS) data of the RKIP-induced cardiac transcriptome, this review provides an overview of different RKIP functions and explains how beneficial GRK2 inhibition can go awry by RAF1-MAPK pathway inhibition. Based on RKIP studies, requirements for the development of a cardioprotective GRK2 inhibitor are deduced.
Assessing Choroidal Nevi, Melanomas and Indeterminate Melanocytic Lesions Using Multimodal Imaging—A Retrospective Chart Review
Authors: Geiger Fredy , Said Sadiq , Bajka Anahita , Toro Mario , Wiest Maximilian , Stahel Marc , Barthelmes Daniel , Zweifel Sandrine
Published: February 2022

Using multimodal imaging, the literature proposed the following risk factors for choroidal nevus growth into melanoma: increased tumor thickness, subretinal fluid, decreased visual acuity, presence of orange pigment, ultrasound acoustic hollowness, and increased tumor diameter. This study investigated the presence of the mentioned risk factors in choroidal nevi, choroidal melanomas, and indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesions. This retrospective, single-center chart review assessed choroidal melanocytic tumors with multimodal imaging. We defined our primary outcome as the cumulative presence of mentioned risk factors. Further, we evaluated various optical coherence tomography (OCT), ultrasound, and autofluorescence findings. We analyzed 51 tumors from 49 patients during the period from April 2008 to June 2021. The median (IQR) age was 64.0 (56.0 to 70.5) years, with 23 of 49 (46.9%) patients being female. The follow-up time for all tumors was median (IQR) 25.0 (12.0 to 39.0) months. The choroidal nevi had a median (range) risk score of 0.0 (0.0 to 3.0), and the choroidal melanoma of 5.0 (3.0 to 6.0), with statistically significant different ratings (p < 0.001). Multimodal imaging creates a score that may help to distinguish choroidal nevi from choroidal melanomas objectively.
Matching-Updating Mechanism: A Solution for the Stable Marriage Problem with Dynamic Preferences
Authors: Alimudin Akhmad , Ishida Yoshiteru
Published: February 2022

We studied the stable marriage problem with dynamic preferences. The dynamic preference model allows the agent to change its preferences at any time, which may cause instability in a matching. However, preference changing in SMP instances does not necessarily break all pairs of an existing match. Sometimes, only a few couples want to change their partners, while others choose to stay with their current partners; this motivates us to find stable matching on a new instance by updating an existing match rather than restarting the matching process from scratch. By using the update mechanism, we try to minimize the revision cost when rematching occurs. The challenge when updating a matching is that a cyclic process may exist, and stable matching is never achieved. Our proposed mechanism can update a match and avoid the cyclic process.
A Framework for Four-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Dong Renze , Leng Hongze , Zhao Juan , Song Junqiang , Liang Shutian
Published: February 2022

The initial field has a crucial influence on numerical weather prediction (NWP). Data assimilation (DA) is a reliable method to obtain the initial field of the forecast model. At the same time, data are the carriers of information. Observational data are a concrete representation of information. DA is also the process of sorting observation data, during which entropy gradually decreases. Four-dimensional variational assimilation (4D-Var) is the most popular approach. However, due to the complexity of the physical model, the tangent linear and adjoint models, and other processes, the realization of a 4D-Var system is complicated, and the computational efficiency is expensive. Machine learning (ML) is a method of gaining simulation results by training a large amount of data. It achieves remarkable success in various applications, and operational NWP and DA are no exception. In this work, we synthesize insights and techniques from previous studies to design a pure data-driven 4D-Var implementation framework named ML-4DVAR based on the bilinear neural network (BNN). The framework replaces the traditional physical model with the BNN model for prediction. Moreover, it directly makes use of the ML model obtained from the simulation data to implement the primary process of 4D-Var, including the realization of the short-term forecast process and the tangent linear and adjoint models. We test a strong-constraint 4D-Var system with the Lorenz-96 model, and we compared the traditional 4D-Var system with ML-4DVAR. The experimental results demonstrate that the ML-4DVAR framework can achieve better assimilation results and significantly improve computational efficiency.
Exergetic Analysis of a Cryogenic Air Separation Unit
Authors: Bucsa Sorin , Serban Alexandru , Balan Mugur C. , Ionita Claudia , Nastase Gabriel , Dobre Catalina , Dobrovicescu Alexandru
Published: February 2022

This case study analyzes a cryogenic air separation unit (ASU) with a production of V˙O2=58,300 [m3Nh] of gaseous oxygen with a concentration greater than 98.5%, operating in Romania on a steel plant platform. The goal of the paper is to provide an extensive model of exergetic analysis that could be used in an optimization procedure when decisional parameters are changed or structural design modifications are implemented. For each key part of the Air Separation Unit, an exergetic product and fuel were defined and, based on their definition, the coefficient of performance of each functional zone was calculated. The information about the magnitude of the exergetic losses offers solutions for their future recovery. The analysis of the exergy destructions suggests when it is worth making a larger investment. The exergetic analysis of the compression area of the ASU points out an exergy destruction and loss of 37% from the total plant’s electrical energy input. The exergy loss with the heat transferred to the cooling system of compressors can be recovered; for the exergy destruction portion, the challenge between investment and operating costs should be considered. The exergy destruction of the air separation columns found the High Pressure Column (HPC) to be more destructive than the Low Pressure Column. The share of the exergy destruction in the total plant’s electrical energy input is 8.3% for the HPC. The local COP of the HPC, calculated depending on the total exergy of the local product and fuel, is 62.66%. The calculus of the air separation column is performed with the ChemSep simulator.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Education Sciences in 2021
Authors:   Education Sciences Editorial Office
Published: February 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Developing Transversal Competencies in the Sociodramatic Space: Narrative of a Curricular Experience in Higher Education
Authors: Veiga Sofia
Published: February 2022

Higher Education plays a decisive role in the training of competent professionals and active, responsible and critical-thinking citizens. In addition to acquiring rigorous technical–scientific knowledge specific to their degree, students are also expected to develop a range of transversal skills essential for a successful academic and professional career. This article aims to narrate an experience of obtaining a Social Education degree. Since its origins, it has been assumed that students in this field should: (a) acquire specific technical–scientific knowledge; (b) get to know themselves as individuals; and (c) develop a set of transversal skills essential to relationships, some of the most salient being active listening, empathic capacity, acceptance and respect for others, trust, curiosity, creativity, confidentiality and a reflective attitude. It thus aggregates a set of Curricular Units whose main purpose is the personal, social and professional development of students, formed within active methodologies. Sociodrama is one such methodology of teaching and learning in the context of two Curricular Units of this degree, and this article focuses on my experience lived within the scope of these units.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Foundations in 2021
Authors:   Foundations Editorial Office
Published: February 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Hybrid Differential Inclusion Involving Two Multi-Valuedoperators with Nonlocal Multi-Valued Integral Condition
Authors: Salem Ahmed , Al-Dosari Aeshah
Published: February 2022

The present paper is devoted to the existence of solution for the Hybrid differential inclusions of the second type. Here, we present the inclusion problem with two multi-valued maps. In addition, it is considered with nonlocal integral boundary condition η(0)∈∫0σΔs,η(s)ds, where Δ is a multi-valued map. Relative compactness of the set ∫0σΔs,η(s)ds in L2(0,ε),R is used to justify the condensing condition for some created operators. Fixed point theorems connected with the weak compactness manner is utilized to explore the results throughout this paper.
Informed Consent and Protection of Personal Data in Genetic Research on COVID-19
Authors: Fedeli Piergiorgio , Scendoni Roberto , Cingolani Mariano , Corrales Compagnucci Marcelo , Cirocchi Roberto , Cannovo Nunzia
Published: February 2022

The particular characteristics of COVID-19 demand the careful biomedical study of samples from patients who have shown different symptomatology, in order to understand the genetic foundations of its phenotypic expression. Research on genetic material from COVID-19 patients is indispensable for understanding the biological bases for its varied clinical manifestations. The issue of “informed consent” constitutes the crux of the problem in regulating research biobanks, because it concerns the relationship between the person and the parts separated from the body. There are several consensus models that can be adopted, varying from quite restricted models of specific informed consent to forms that allow very broad authorization (open consent). Our current understanding of COVID-19 is incomplete. Thus, we cannot plan, with precision, the research to be conducted on biological samples that have been, or will be, collected from patients infected by the novel coronavirus. Therefore, we suggest utilizing the “participation pact” between researchers and donors, based on a new form of participation in research, which offers a choice based on the principles of solidarity and reciprocity, which represent the communication of “values”. In the last part of this paper, the general data protection regulation concerning the matter is discussed. The treatment of personal data must be performed with explicit goals, and donors must be provided with a clear, transparent explanation of the methods, goals and time of storage. The data must not be provided to unauthorized subjects. In conclusion, open informed consent forms will be necessary for research on individual patients and on populations.
Anxiety Levels among Polish and Turkish Dentists during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Olszewska-Czyz Iwona , Sozkes Sarkis
Published: February 2022

Working conditions, work-related stressors and high risk of infection, as well as the fear of contagion and spreading the disease to family members, may have influenced dentists’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anxiety levels among Polish and Turkish dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate any relevant predictors. The study was an anonymous online questionnaire-based cross-sectional study that was conducted among dentists from two countries: Poland and Turkey. In total 400 dentists (200 from each country) participated in the study. The survey consisted of two parts: part 1 comprised demographic data, including age, gender, country of origin, COVID-19 infection history, place of work and lockdown history; part 2 was based on the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The mean trait and state anxiety levels of the Polish dentists was statistically significantly lower than that of the Turkish dentists (p = 0.000; p < 0.05). However, Polish dentists had higher state anxiety levels than trait levels, while both types of anxiety among Turkish dentists were almost at the same level. The number of dentists who suffered from COVID-19 was found to be statistically significantly higher in Poland (54%) than in Turkey (16%) (p = 0.000; p < 0.05). The percentage of dentists reporting anxiety was 51% in Poland and 95.5% in Turkey. Polish dentists reported a lower mean anxiety level during the COVID-19 pandemic than the dentists in Turkey but their anxiety levels were more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as they had a higher difference between their state and trait anxiety levels. The higher coronavirus infection rate and lack of governmental lockdowns of dental practices during the pandemic in Poland compared with those in Turkey may explain the difference in the state and trait anxiety levels.
Evaluation of the Potential Risk of Mortality from SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hospitalized Patients According to the Charlson Comorbidity Index
Authors: Gutierrez-Camacho Jose Roberto , Avila-Carrasco Lorena , Murillo-Ruíz-Esparza Alberto , Garza-Veloz Idalia , Araujo-Espino Roxana , Martinez-Vazquez Maria Calixta , Trejo-Ortiz Perla M. , Rodriguez-Sanchez Iram Pablo , Delgado-Enciso Iván , Castañeda-López Maria E. , Gamón-Madrid Araceli , Martinez-Fierro Margarita L.
Published: February 2022

Background: The pandemic of COVID-19 has represented a major threat to global public health in the last century and therefore to identify predictors of mortality among COVID-19 hospitalized patients is widely justified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible usefulness of Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) as mortality predictor in patients hospitalized because COVID-19. Methods: This study was carried out in Zacatecas, Mexico, and it included 705 hospitalized patients with suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinical data were collected, and the CCI score was calculated online using the calculator from the Sociedad Andaluza de Medicina Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias; the result was evaluated as mortality predictor among the patients with COVID-19. Results: 377 patients were positive for SARS-COV-2. Obesity increased the risk of intubation among the study population (odds ratio (OR) = 2.59; 95 CI: 1.36–4.92; p = 0.003). The CCI values were higher in patients who died because of COVID-19 complications than those observed in patients who survived (p < 0.001). Considering a CCI cutoff > 31.69, the area under the ROC curve was 0.75, with a sensitivity and a specificity of 63.6% and 87.7%, respectively. Having a CCI value > 31.69 increased the odds of death by 12.5 times among the study population (95% CI: 7.3–21.4; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The CCI is a suitable tool for the prediction of mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. The presence of comorbidities in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 reflected as CCI > 31.69 increased the risk of death among the study population, so it is important to take precautionary measures in patients due to their condition and their increased vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Physical Activity and Prevalence of Depression and Antidepressants in the Spanish Population
Authors: Galán-Arroyo Carmen , Pereira-Payo Damián , Rojo-Ramos Jorge , Hernández-Mocholí Miguel A. , Merellano-Navarro Eugenio , Pérez-Gómez Jorge , Denche-Zamorano Ángel , Adsuar Jose Carmelo
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Depression is a mental disorder that affects more than 250 million people in the world, limiting their functional capacities. The work of public health policies is aimed at reducing its prevalence as well as its pharmaceutical cost. Physical activity (PA) programs are interventions with a high potential for effectiveness. Objectives: To establish the relationships between physical activity and the prevalence of depression and antidepressant intake in the Spanish population. Design: We performed a correlational study that was based on data from the European Health Survey Spain 2020 with 20,287 participants, aged 18–84 years, living in Spain. Results: Dependency relationships were found between the prevalence of depression, and: the frequency of PA, the number of days of PA per week, and the number of days of muscle strengthening in the population, in both sexes, and in all age groups (p < 0.001). Dependency relationships were found between the three PA variables and the prevalence of taking antidepressants (p < 0.001). An elevated prevalence of depression and antidepressant taking were found in the inactive groups compared to those who performed PA (p < 0.05). Conclusions: There is an inverse relationship between physical activity and the probability of suffering from depression and the intake of antidepressants. Performing PA 3–4 days/week, including 1–2 days of strength work, could be the best proposal to reduce the prevalence of depression in the Spanish population.
The Effectiveness of Neroli Essential Oil in Relieving Anxiety and Perceived Pain in Women during Labor: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Scandurra Cristiano , Mezzalira Selene , Cutillo Sara , Zapparella Rosanna , Statti Giancarlo , Maldonato Nelson Mauro , Locci Mariavittoria , Bochicchio Vincenzo
Published: February 2022

Childbirth is a stressful and physically painful event in a woman’s life and aromatherapy is one of the most used non-pharmacological methods that is effective in reducing anxiety and perceived pain. This randomized controlled study aimed at determining the effect of neroli oil aromatherapy on anxiety and pain intensity perception in 88 women during labor, randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 44) or control group (n = 44). Anxiety and perceived pain were assessed through the visual analogue scale during the latent, early, and late active phases of labor. Data analyses included the t-test, Chi-square test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Perceived pain and anxiety in the group receiving aromatherapy were significantly lower than in the control group at all stages of labor (p < 0.05). Specifically, as the labor progressed, pain and anxiety increased in all participants, but the increase was milder in the experimental group than in the control group. The multiparas showed higher average anxiety scores, but not perceived pain, than the primiparas in all phases of labor (p < 0.05). Ultimately, neroli oil aromatherapy during labor can be used as an alternative tool to relieve anxiety and perceived pain in women during all stages of labor.
Three Quarters of a Century of Research on RF Exposure Assessment and Dosimetry—What Have We Learned?
Authors: Foster Kenneth , Ziskin Marvin , Balzano Quirino
Published: February 2022

This commentary, by three authors with an aggregate experience of more than a century in technology and health and safety studies concerning radiofrequency (RF) energy, asks what has been learned over the past 75 years of research on radiofrequency and health, focusing on technologies for exposure assessment and dosimetry. Research programs on health and safety of RF exposure began in the 1950s, initially motivated by occupational health concerns for military personnel, and later to address public concerns about exposures to RF energy from environmental sources and near-field exposures from RF transmitting devices such as mobile phones that are used near the body. While this research largely focused on the biological effects of RF energy, it also led to important improvements in exposure assessment and dosimetry. This work in the aggregate has made RF energy one of the best studied potential technological hazards and represents a productive response by large numbers of scientists and engineers, working in many countries and supported by diverse funding agencies, to the ever rapidly evolving uses of the electromagnetic spectrum. This review comments on present needs of the field, which include raising the quality of dosimetry in many RF bioeffects studies and developing improved exposure/dosimetric techniques for the higher microwave frequencies to be used by forthcoming communications technologies. At present, however, the major uncertainties in dosimetric modeling/exposure assessment are likely to be related to the inherent variability in real-world exposures, rather than imprecision in measurement technologies.
Clinical Differences between Community-Acquired Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia and COVID-19 Pneumonia
Authors: Miyashita Naoyuki , Nakamori Yasushi , Ogata Makoto , Fukuda Naoki , Yamura Akihisa , Ishiura Yoshihisa , Nomura Shosaku
Published: February 2022

Mycoplasmapneumoniae is one of the major causative pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). M. pneumoniae CAP is clinically and radiologically distinct from bacterial CAPs. One feature of the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) guidelines is a trial to be carried out to differentiate between M. pneumoniae pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia for the selection of antibiotics. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the clinical and radiological differences of the M. pneumoniae CAP and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) CAP. This study was conducted at 5 institutions and assessed a total of 210 patients with M. pneumoniae CAP and 956 patients with COVID-19 CAP. The median age was significantly younger in patients with M. pneumoniae CAP than COVID-19 CAP. Among the clinical symptoms, cough and sputum were observed more frequently in patients with M. pneumoniae CAP than those with COVID-19 CAP. However, the diagnostic specificity of these findings was low. In contrast, loss of taste and anosmia were observed in patients with COVID-19 CAP but not observed in those with M. pneumoniae CAP. Bronchial wall thickening and nodules (tree-in-bud and centrilobular), which are chest computed tomography (CT) features of M. pneumoniae CAP, were rarely observed in patients with COVID-19 CAP. Our results demonstrated that there were two specific differences between M. pneumoniae CAP and COVID-19 CAP: (1) the presence of loss of taste and/or anosmia and (2) chest CT findings.
A Boosted Minimum Cross Entropy Thresholding for Medical Images Segmentation Based on Heterogeneous Mean Filters Approaches
Authors: Jumiawi Walaa Ali H. , El-Zaart Ali
Published: February 2022

Computer vision plays an important role in the accurate foreground detection of medical images. Diagnosing diseases in their early stages has effective life-saving potential, and this is every physician’s goal. There is a positive relationship between improving image segmentation methods and precise diagnosis in medical images. This relation provides a profound indication for feature extraction in a segmented image, such that an accurate separation occurs between the foreground and the background. There are many thresholding-based segmentation methods found under the pure image processing approach. Minimum cross entropy thresholding (MCET) is one of the frequently used mean-based thresholding methods for medical image segmentation. In this paper, the aim was to boost the efficiency of MCET, based on heterogeneous mean filter approaches. The proposed model estimates an optimized mean by excluding the negative influence of noise, local outliers, and gray intensity levels; thus, obtaining new mean values for the MCET’s objective function. The proposed model was examined compared to the original and related methods, using three types of medical image dataset. It was able to show accurate results based on the performance measures, using the benchmark of unsupervised and supervised evaluation.
Neural Network Non-Singular Terminal Sliding Mode Control for Target Tracking of Underactuated Underwater Robots with Prescribed Performance
Authors: Guo Liwei , Liu Weidong , Li Le , Lou Yichao , Wang Xinliang , Liu Zhi
Published: February 2022

This paper proposes a neural network-based nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller with prescribed performances for the target tracking problem of underactuated underwater robots. Firstly, the mathematical formulation of the target tracking problem is presented with an underactuated underwater robot model and the corresponding control objectives. Then, the target tracking errors from the line-of-sight guidance law are transformed using the prescribed performance technique to achieve good dynamic performance and steady-state performance that meet the pre-set conditions. Meanwhile, considering the model’s uncertainties and the external disturbances to the underwater robots, a target tracking controller is proposed based on the radial basis function (RBF) neural network and the non-singular terminal sliding mode control. Lyapunov stability analysis and homogeneity theory prove the tracking errors can converge on a small region that contains the origin with prescribed performance in finite time. In the simulation comparison, the controller proposed in this paper had better dynamic performance, steady-state performance and chattering supression. In particular, the steady-state error of the tracking error was lower, and the convergence time of the tracking error in the vertical distance was reduced by 19.1%.
Global Distribution and Clinical Features of Pythiosis in Humans and Animals
Authors: Yolanda Hanna , Krajaejun Theerapong
Published: February 2022

Pythiosis is a difficult-to-treat infectious disease caused by Pythium insidiosum. The condition is unfamiliar among healthcare workers. Manifestation of pythiosis is similar to other fungal infections, leading to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. The geographical extent of pythiosis at a global scale is unclear. This study aimed to analyze the clinical information recorded in the scientific literature to comprehensively project epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, and future trends of pythiosis. From 1980 to 2021, 4203 cases of pythiosis in humans (n = 771; 18.3%) and animals (primarily horse, dog, and cow; n = 3432; 81.7%), with an average of 103 cases/year, were recruited. Pythiosis case reports significantly increased in the last decade. Pythiosis spanned 23 tropical, subtropical, and temperate countries worldwide. Some patients acquired pythiosis from a trip to an endemic country. Strikingly, 94.3% of human cases were in India and Thailand, while 79.2% of affected animals were in the U.S.A. and Brazil. Clinical features of pythiosis varied. Vascular and ocular pythiosis were only observed in humans, whereas cutaneous/subcutaneous and gastrointestinal infections were predominant in animals. Mortality depended on host species and clinical forms: for example, none in patients with ocular pythiosis, 0.7% in cows with a cutaneous lesion, 26.8% in humans with vascular disease, 86.4% in dogs with gastrointestinal pathology, and 100% in several animals with disseminated infection. In summary, this study reports up-to-date epidemiological and clinical features of pythiosis in humans and animals. It increases awareness of this life-threatening disease, as the illness or outbreak can exist in any country, not limited to the endemic areas.
Computer Vision in Self-Steering Tractors
Authors: Vrochidou Eleni , Oustadakis Dimitrios , Kefalas Axios , Papakostas George A.
Published: February 2022

Automatic navigation of agricultural machinery is an important aspect of Smart Farming. Intelligent agricultural machinery applications increasingly rely on machine vision algorithms to guarantee enhanced in-field navigation accuracy by precisely locating the crop lines and mapping the navigation routes of vehicles in real-time. This work presents an overview of vision-based tractor systems. More specifically, this work deals with (1) the system architecture, (2) the safety of usage, (3) the most commonly faced navigation errors, (4) the navigation control system of tractors and presents (5) state-of-the-art image processing algorithms for in-field navigation route mapping. In recent research, stereovision systems emerge as superior to monocular systems for real-time in-field navigation, demonstrating higher stability and control accuracy, especially in extensive crops such as cotton, sunflower, maize, etc. A detailed overview is provided for each topic with illustrative examples that focus on specific agricultural applications. Several computer vision algorithms based on different optical sensors have been developed for autonomous navigation in structured or semi-structured environments, such as orchards, yet are affected by illumination variations. The usage of multispectral imaging can overcome the encountered limitations of noise in images and successfully extract navigation paths in orchards by using a combination of the trees’ foliage with the background of the sky. Concisely, this work reviews the current status of self-steering agricultural vehicles and presents all basic guidelines for adapting computer vision in autonomous in-field navigation.
Tracking a Well Diversified Portfolio with Maximum Entropy in the Mean
Authors: Arratia Argimiro , Gzyl Henryk , Mayoral Silvia
Published: February 2022

In this work we address the following problem: Having chosen a well diversified portfolio, we show how to improve on its return, maintaining the diversification. In order to achieve this boost on return we construct a neighborhood of the well diversified portfolio and find a portfolio that maximizes the return in that neighborhood. For that we use the method of maximum entropy in the mean to find a portfolio that yields any possible return up to the maximum return within the neighborhood. The implicit bonus of the method is that if the benchmark portfolio has acceptable risk and diversification, the portfolio of maximum return in that neighborhood will also have acceptable risk and diversification.