bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Values of Retinoblastoma Survivors and Parents Regarding Treatment Outcomes: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Janic Ana , Vincent Ajoy , Stinson Jennifer , Dimaras Helen
Published: January 2022

PURPOSE:

Retinoblastoma is an aggressive pediatric eye cancer. Patient-reported outcome measures reveal important insights into how patients perceive their own health. Currently, there is no widely used or validated measure for assessment of retinoblastoma outcomes. The purpose of this research was to uncover which treatment outcomes that retinoblastoma survivors and their parents value, to inform the development of a future measure.

METHODS:

This qualitative, cross-sectional study included retinoblastoma survivors age 6 years and older and parents of retinoblastoma survivors. Participants who did not demonstrate fluency in English were excluded. Study participants participated in semistructured interviews or focus groups, either in person at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada, or through secure videoconference, between March 3, 2019, and January 25, 2020. Iterative rounds of opening coding, codebook development, and coresearcher analysis were used to identify key emergent themes and subthemes.

RESULTS:

Seventeen adults participated in six focus groups. Nine pediatric survivors participated in individual interviews. Four common themes emerged from all participant groups: (1) definition of treatment success, (2) enucleation—acceptance and challenges, (3) treatment outcomes to measure, and (4) need for outcome reporting. An additional, unique theme was identified in all pediatric discussions: worries and coping mechanisms. Treatment outcomes deemed valuable were related to the following domains: psychosocial outcomes, daily functioning, functional vision, retinoblastoma education, cosmetic outcomes, and secondary eye conditions.

CONCLUSION:

This study represents the first stage in the development of a retinoblastoma-specific patient-reported outcome measure. The findings reveal insight into what outcomes are valued by survivors after treatment and offer promise to improve outcomes assessment for retinoblastoma.
Flux-Based Formulation Development—A Proof of Concept Study
Authors: Kádár Szabina , Tőzsér Petra , Nagy Brigitta , Farkas Attila , Nagy Zsombor K. , Tsinman Oksana , Tsinman Konstantin , Csicsák Dóra , Völgyi Gergely , Takács-Novák Krisztina , Borbás Enikő , Sinkó Bálint
Published: January 2022

The work aimed to develop the Absorption Driven Drug Formulation (ADDF) concept, which is a new approach in formulation development to ensure that the drug product meets the expected absorption rate. The concept is built on the solubility-permeability interplay and the rate of supersaturation as the driving force of absorption. This paper presents the first case study using the ADDF concept where not only dissolution and solubility but also permeation of the drug is considered in every step of the formulation development. For that reason, parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) was used for excipient selection, small volume dissolution-permeation apparatus was used for testing amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs), and large volume dissolution-permeation tests were carried out to characterize the final dosage forms. The API-excipient interaction studies on PAMPA indicated differences when different fillers or surfactants were studied. These differences were then confirmed with small volume dissolution-permeation assays where the addition of Tween 80 to the ASDs decreased the flux dramatically. Also, the early indication of sorbitol’s advantage over mannitol by PAMPA has been confirmed in the investigation of the final dosage forms by large-scale dissolution-permeation tests. This difference between the fillers was observed in vivo as well. The presented case study demonstrated that the ADDF concept opens a new perspective in generic formulation development using fast and cost-effective flux-based screening methods in order to meet the bioequivalence criteria.
Evaluation of Excipient Risk in BCS Class I and III Biowaivers
Authors: Metry Melissa , Polli James E.
Published: January 2022

The objective of this review article is to summarize literature data pertinent to potential excipient effects on intestinal drug permeability and transit. Despite the use of excipients in drug products for decades, considerable research efforts have been directed towards evaluating their potential effects on drug bioavailability. Potential excipient concerns stem from drug formulation changes (e.g., scale-up and post-approval changes, development of a new generic product). Regulatory agencies have established in vivo bioequivalence standards and, as a result, may waive the in vivo requirement, known as a biowaiver, for some oral products. Biowaiver acceptance criteria are based on the in vitro characterization of the drug substance and drug product using the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS). Various regulatory guidance documents have been issued regarding BCS-based biowaivers, such that the current FDA guidance is more restrictive than prior guidance, specifically about excipient risk. In particular, sugar alcohols have been identified as potential absorption-modifying excipients. These biowaivers and excipient risks are discussed here.
Hüseyin Yılmaz. Caliphate Redefined: The Mystical Turn in Ottoman Political Thought
Authors: Karataş Hasan
Published: January 2022

The book-review of the book.
Space-log: a novel approach to inferring gene-gene net-works using SPACE model with log penalty
Authors: Wu Qian (Vicky) , Sun Wei , Hsu Li
Published: January 2022

Gene expression data have been used to infer gene-gene networks (GGN) where an edge between two genes implies the conditional dependence of these two genes given all the other genes. Such gene-gene networks are of-ten referred to as gene regulatory networks since it may reveal expression regulation. Most of existing methods for identifying GGN employ penalized regression with L1 (lasso), L2 (ridge), or elastic net penalty, which spans the range of L1 to L2 penalty. However, for high dimensional gene expression data, a penalty that spans the range of L0 and L1 penalty, such as the log penalty, is often needed for variable selection consistency. Thus, we develop a novel method that em-ploys log penalty within the framework of an earlier network identification method space (Sparse PArtial Correlation Estimation), and implement it into a R package space-log. We show that the space-log is computationally efficient (source code implemented in C), and has good performance comparing with other methods, particularly for networks with hubs.Space-log is open source and available at GitHub, https://github.com/wuqian77/SpaceLog
Detection of pathogens associated with early-onset neonatal sepsis in cord blood at birth using quantitative PCR
Authors: Obiero Christina W. , Gumbi Wilson , Mwakio Stella , Mwangudzah Hope , Seale Anna C. , Taniuchi Mami , Liu Jie , Houpt Eric , Berkley James A.
Published: January 2022

Background: Early onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) typically begins prior to, during or soon after birth and may be rapidly fatal. There is paucity of data on the aetiology of EONS in sub-Saharan Africa due to limited diagnostic capacity in this region, despite the associated significant mortality and long-term neurological impairment.

Methods: We compared pathogens detected in cord blood samples between neonates admitted to hospital with possible serious bacterial infection (pSBI) in the first 48 hours of life (cases) and neonates remaining well (controls). Cord blood was systematically collected at Kilifi County Hospital (KCH) from 2011-2016, and later tested for 21 bacterial, viral and protozoal targets using multiplex PCR via TaqMan Array Cards (TAC).

Results: Among 603 cases (101 [17%] of whom died), 179 (30%) tested positive for ≥1 target and 37 (6.1%) tested positive for multiple targets. Klebsiella oxytoca, Escherichia coli/Shigella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus pyogenes were commonest. Among 300 controls, 79 (26%) tested positive for ≥1 target, 11 (3.7%) were positive for multiple targets, and K. oxytoca and P. aeruginosa were most common. Cumulative odds ratios across controls: cases (survived): cases (died) were E. coli/Shigella spp. 2.6 (95%CI 1.6-4.4); E. faecalis 4.0 (95%CI 1.1-15); S. agalactiae 4.5 (95%CI 1.6-13); Ureaplasma spp. 2.9 (95%CI 1.3-6.4); Enterovirus 9.1 (95%CI 2.3-37); and Plasmodium spp. 2.9 (95%CI 1.4-6.2). Excluding K. oxytoca and P. aeruginosa as likely contaminants, aetiology was attributed in 9.4% (95%CI 5.1-13) cases using TAC. Leading pathogen attributions by TAC were E. coli/Shigella spp. (3.5% (95%CI 1.7-5.3)) and Ureaplasma spp. (1.7% (95%CI 0.5-3.0)).

Conclusions: Cord blood sample may be useful in describing EONS pathogens at birth, but more specific tests are needed for individual diagnosis. Careful sampling of cord blood using aseptic techniques is crucial to minimize contamination. In addition to culturable bacteria, Ureaplasma and Enterovirus were causes of EONS.
Feasibility of the modified 30-second sit-to-stand test in an isolation ward of moderate COVID-19
Authors: Hidayati Evi Rachmawati Nur , Suharti Amien , Suratinoyo Adis Tiara , Zahra Silma Rahima , Nusdwinuringtyas Nury
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND The recovery after prolonged immobilization during hospitalization because of COVID-19 is the primary goal of moderate to severe COVID-19 rehabilitation. Lower extremity muscle function assessment after immobilization is needed before starting mobilization. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the modified 30-second sit-to-stand test (m30STS) as one of the prospective tools of functional capacity assessment in moderate COVID-19.

METHODS This cross-sectional study recruited the subjects consecutively. All eligible subjects with oxygen saturation (SaO2) ≥95% with or without oxygen supplementation performed the m30STS following the Bohannon’s guidelines. The score of m30STS was calculated based on the number of stands completed within 30 sec. A higher score of the m30STS indicated better lower extremity function.

RESULTS Mean score of m30STS was 13.3. No subjects had oxygen desaturation or increased heart rate, and no fall incidents occurred.

CONCLUSIONS The m30STS is feasible and safe to evaluate lower extremity for moderate COVID-19 patients with SaO2 >95%. The absence of oxygen desaturation and increase in heart rate showed no increased oxygen consumption during the test.
Perception and preventive behavior during COVID-19 pandemic among urban residents in Banda Aceh, Indonesia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Husnah  , Salawati Liza , Sakdiah  , Nazira Nurul , Firdausa Sarah , Nawawi Yusuf Syaeful
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND It is critical to evaluate the perception and preventive behavior of COVID-19 to formulate the optimal public health strategies for tackling the ongoing pandemic. This study aimed to enhance knowledge on the perception and preventive behavior toward COVID-19 among urban residents in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

METHODS A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted from September to October 2020 using a structured questionnaire for the attendants of the six public health centers in Banda Aceh. Information about sociodemographic, perception, and preventive behavior toward COVID-19 were collected. The data were analyzed to find the association between the level of preventive behavior and covariates.

RESULTS Among 1,067 respondents, 71.1% were female, 52.5% were aged between 40 and 60 years, 31.2% were university graduates, and >60% were unemployed with underlying diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiopulmonary diseases. The responses of each statement toward COVID-19 were varied. The multivariable model of covariates showed that females had good preventive behavior toward COVID-19 (adjusted OR: 1.849, 95% CI: 1.359–2.515). Urban residents in Banda Aceh with the underlying diseases had poor preventive behavior, while those with higher educational level and perception scores were more inclined to engage in good preventive behavior.

CONCLUSIONS Most urban residents in Banda Aceh showed positive perception and propensity for adopting preventive measures. Health education is necessary for susceptible residents, such as males, less educated people, and people with underlying diseases. It should be stressed on specific practices and knowledge.
Diffraction-induced divergence of propagating Zernike mode aberrations
Authors: Chauhan Akanshu , Sherpa Nedup , Boruah Bosanta R.
Published: January 2022

In this paper, we study how a propagating laser beam carrying Zernike mode aberrations in its phase profile undergoes divergence due to diffraction. We first numerically simulate the propagation of Zernike modes through different distances using the Fresnel diffraction integral. We observe that a light beam carrying different Zernike modes results in irradiance patterns of various shapes and sizes. We introduce a new parameter to quantify the divergence experienced by different modes. Based on our numerical simulation study, we then construct a functional form to quantify the divergence of different Zernike modes while propagating different distances. The results using the functional form agree very well with the numerical simulation results. The proposed functional form can be employed even for a beam carrying a combination of Zernike modes.
Demonstration of high output power DBR laser integrated with SOA for the FMCW LiDAR system
Authors: Zhang Gong , Ding Zhihuan , Wang Kuankuan , Jiang Chun , Lou Jiajun , Lu Qiaoyin , Guo Weihua
Published: January 2022

We demonstrated a high output power distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) laser integrated with semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for the frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. In order to acquire higher output power, different from the conventional SG-DBR laser, the front mirror in this work is a section of uniform grating to get higher transmissivity. Therefore, the output power of the laser reaches 96 mW when the gain current and SOA current are 200 mA and 400 mA, respectively. Besides, we fabricated a spot size converter (SSC) at the laser output port to enhance the fiber coupling efficiency, which reached 64% coupled into the lensed fiber whose beam waist diameter is 2.5 μm. A tuning range of 2.8 nm with free spectral range (FSR) of 0.29 nm and narrow Lorentzian linewidth of 313 kHz is achieved. To realize distance and velocity measurement, we use the iterative learning pre-distortion method to linearize the frequency sweep, which is an important part of the FMCW LiDAR technology.
Phase dual-resolution networks for a computer-generated hologram
Authors: Yu Ting , Zhang Shijie , Chen Wei , Liu Juan , Zhang Xiangyang , Tian Zijian
Published: January 2022

The computer-generated hologram (CGH) is a method for calculating arbitrary optical field interference patterns. Iterative algorithms for CGHs require a built-in trade-off between computation speed and accuracy of the hologram, which restricts the performance of applications. Although the non-iterative algorithm for CGHs is quicker, the hologram accuracy does not meet expectations. We propose a phase dual-resolution network (PDRNet) based on deep learning for generating phase-only holograms with fixed computational complexity. There are no ground-truth holograms employed in the training; instead, the differentiability of the angular spectrum method is used to realize unsupervised training of the convolutional neural network. In the PDRNet algorithm, we optimized the dual-resolution network as the prototype of the hologram generator to enhance the mapping capability. The combination of multi-scale structural similarity (MS-SSIM) and mean square error (MSE) is used as the loss function to generate a high-fidelity hologram. The simulation indicates that the proposed PDRNet can generate high-fidelity 1080P resolution holograms in 57 ms. Experiments in the holographic display show fewer speckles in the reconstructed image.
Analysis of hybrid plasmon-phonon-polariton modes in hBN/graphene/hBN stacks for mid-infrared waveguiding
Authors: Tu Pei-Yu , Huang Chia-Chien
Published: January 2022

Guiding mid-infrared (mid-IR) signals provide wide-ranging applications including chemical sensing, thermal imaging, and optical waveguiding. To manipulate mid-IR signals on photonic chips, it is critical to build a waveguide that provides both sub-diffraction field confinement and low loss. We present a mid-IR waveguide made up of a multilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) stacking (MLGhS) and a high-refractive index nanowire. The guided mode of the proposed waveguide structure is formed by coupling the fundamental volume plasmon polariton with the fundamental hyperbolic phonon polariton in hBN, and is then modulated by a high-index nanowire. Interestingly, we found that the effective index, propagation length, and mode area of the guided mode vary as the dependences of N-1, N, and N3/2, where N is the number of graphene layers. In addition, an anomalous result, which reveals Lp and Am monotonously decrease as Fermi energy increases that is not observed in conventional graphene plasmon waveguides, occurs in the present structure. The modal properties are analyzed by altering geometry effects and material parameters, and by crossing the upper Reststrahlen band of hBN from the wavevector k = 1,300 to 1,500 cm−1. Furthermore, crosstalk between adjacent waveguides are investigated to assess the degree of integration. The proposed idea not only provides a potential approach for designing tunable and large-area photonic integrated circuits, but it also has the potential to be extended to other 2D materials such as silicone, germanene, and stanene.
Morphology engineering of a hybrid perovskite for active terahertz memory modulation
Authors: Wang Xinyue , Weng Jiexin , Xu Meng , Li Xiang , Yang Tingting , Hou Yanbing , Shen Jingling , Zhang Bo
Published: January 2022

Morphology engineering was investigated for hybrid perovskites CH3NH3PbI3:Ag/Poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) that were fabricated in both air and nitrogen environments for active terahertz (THz) memory modulation. Under low optical excitation or an applied bias, THz amplitude modulation or rapid restore in both CH3NH3PbI3:Ag/PEDOT:PSS hybrid structures were demonstrated. The recovery time of the modulated THz wave in the sample fabricated in air was considerably longer than that of the sample fabricated in nitrogen because of defect states induced by a high degree of roughness. THz transmissions were used as coded pixel units and were programmed to store a 4×4 image or a multi-order signal. Hence, active THz memory modulation was demonstrated. It also has potential applications as a visible to near-infrared broad-spectrum light detector.
Modelling how cleaner fish approach an ephemeral reward task demonstrates a role for ecologically tuned chunking in the evolution of advanced cognition
Authors: Prat Yosef , Bshary Redouan , Lotem Arnon
Published: January 2022

What makes cognition “advanced” is an open and not precisely defined question. One perspective involves increasing the complexity of associative learning, from conditioning to learning sequences of events (“chaining”) to representing various cue combinations as “chunks.” Here we develop a weighted graph model to study the mechanism enabling chunking ability and the conditions for its evolution and success, based on the ecology of the cleaner fishLabroides dimidiatus. In some environments, cleaners must learn to serve visitor clients before resident clients, because a visitor leaves if not attended while a resident waits for service. This challenge has been captured in various versions of the ephemeral reward task, which has been proven difficult for a range of cognitively capable species. We show that chaining is the minimal requirement for solving this task in its common simplified laboratory format that involves repeated simultaneous exposure to an ephemeral and permanent food source. Adding ephemeral–ephemeral and permanent–permanent combinations, as cleaners face in the wild, requires individuals to have chunking abilities to solve the task. Importantly, chunking parameters need to be calibrated to ecological conditions in order to produce adaptive decisions. Thus, it is the fine-tuning of this ability, which may be the major target of selection during the evolution of advanced associative learning.
A clinical trial to evaluate the dayzz smartphone app on employee sleep, health, and productivity at a large US employer
Authors: Robbins Rebecca , Weaver Matthew D. , Quan Stuart F. , Sullivan Jason P. , Cohen-Zion Mairav , Glasner Laura , Qadri Salim , Czeisler Charles A. , Barger Laura K.
Published: January 2022

Sleep deficiency is a hidden cost of our 24–7 society, with 70% of adults in the US admitting that they routinely obtain insufficient sleep. Further, it is estimated that 50–70 million adults in the US have a sleep disorder. Undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders are associated with diminished health for the individual and increased costs for the employer. Research has shown that adverse impacts on employees and employers can be mitigated through sleep health education and sleep disorder screening and treatment programs. Smartphone applications (app) are increasingly commonplace and represent promising, scalable modalities for such programs. The dayzz app is a personalized sleep training program that incorporates assessment of sleep disorders and offers a personalized comprehensive sleep improvement solution. Using a sample of day workers affiliated with a large institution of higher education, we will conduct a single-site, parallel-group, randomized, waitlist control trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to either use the dayzz app throughout the study or receive the dayzz app at the end of the study. We will collect data on feasibility and acceptability of the dayzz app; employee sleep, including sleep behavioral changes, sleep duration, regularity, and quality; employee presenteeism, absenteeism, and performance; employee mood; adverse and safety outcomes; and healthcare utilization on a monthly basis throughout the study, as well as collect more granular daily data from the employee during pre-specified intervals. Our results will illuminate whether a personalized smartphone app is a viable approach for improving employee sleep, health, and productivity.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04224285.
The diagnostic value of core needle biopsy in cervical cancer: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Lia Massimiliano , Horn Lars-Christian , Sodeikat Paulina , Höckel Michael , Aktas Bahriye , Wolf Benjamin
Published: January 2022

Cervical carcinoma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Histological subtype, lymphovascular space invasion and tumor grade could have a prognostic and predictive value for patients’ outcome and the knowledge of these histologic characteristics may influence clinical decision making. However, studies evaluating the diagnostic value of various biopsy techniques regarding these parameters of cervical cancer are scarce. We reviewed 318 cases of cervical carcinoma with available pathology reports from preoperative core needle biopsy (CNB) assessment and from final postoperative evaluation of the hysterectomy specimen. Setting the postoperative comprehensive pathological evaluation as reference, we analysed CNB assessment of histological tumor characteristics. In addition, we performed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors influencing the accuracy in identifying LVSI and tumor grade. CNB was highly accurate in discriminating histological subtype. Sensitivity and specificity were 98.8% and 89% for squamous cell carcinoma, 92.9% and 96.6% for adenocarcinoma, 33.3% and 100% in adenosquamous carcinoma respectively. Neuroendocrine carcinoma was always recognized correctly. The accuracy of the prediction of LVSI was 61.9% and was positively influenced by tumor size in preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and negatively influenced by strong peritumoral inflammation. High tumor grade (G3) was diagnosed accurately in 73.9% of cases and was influenced by histological tumor type. In conclusion, CNB is an accurate sampling technique for histological classification of cervical cancer and represents a reasonable alternative to other biopsy techniques.
Aprender a viver em conjunto, uma utopia necessária
Authors: Baltazar Isabel
Published: January 2022

No âmbito da recente Estratégia Nacional de Educação para a Cidadania, é proposta uma nova componente curricular nos ensinos básico e secundário: Cidadania e Desenvolvimento, onde se inclui a dimensão europeia da Educação.  A dimensão europeia da educação visa formar jovens conscientes da sua pertença à União, intervindo direta e ativamente no projeto de construção europeia. Com esta Cidadania Europeia, pretende-se desenvolver uma identidade europeia assente num conjunto de valores e no sentimento de pertença em relação à Europa e ao mundo. Como aprender a viver em conjunto, respeitando o outro, o diferente, quer o vizinho do lado, o europeu, quer os outros povos, culturas e religiões, numa democracia em que o respeito pelos direitos humanos seja o princípio para uma cidadania ativa, é a questão de partida deste estudo. Este processo de aprender a viver em conjunto, inclui a compreensão da Europa, da sua história e do seu futuro, o desenvolvimento dos Direitos Humanos e o aprofundamento da Democracia, constituindo, por um lado, uma oportunidade dos povos europeus partilharem e beneficiarem de uma herança diversa e rica, e, por outro, de servirem de exemplo de cultura e civilização para o mundo. Esta dimensão europeia da educação é um desafio.
Privacy Within the Private Order: A Critical Evaluation of the Market-Based System Governing Data Collection in the United States
Authors: McCloskey Claire
Published: January 2022

This paper critically evaluates the market-based system governing data collection in the United States. The discussion is centred around Big Tech, a group of information intermediaries responsible for the ongoing extraction and exploitation of consumer data. The exploitative system is enabled by the ubiquitous privacy policy, which ostensibly offers data subjects ‘notice’ of data collection and the ‘choice’ to consent to said collection. This paper critiques the ‘notice and choice’ model, concluding the combined ambiguity and opacity of the privacy policy fail to offer subjects meaningful control over their data. To substantiate this argument, the paper evaluates the suitability of the market-based system in a broader sense, arguing that data collection practices precludes the knowledge parity necessary for an operative and fair market-based system. The paper concludes by ascertaining the suitability of state-based regulation, identifying data’s intrinsic relationship with ideals that are core to the Western tradition: equality, democracy, and autonomy.
The Role of Focal Epilepsy Features in Defining SCN1A Mutation-positive Dravet Syndrome as Generalized and Focal Epilepsy
Authors: Ko Young Jun , Yoo Il Han , Lee Jiwon , Lee Jeehun , Yum Mi-Sun , Ko Tae-Sung , Kim Hunmin , Hwang Hee , Kim Soo Yeon , Chae Jong-Hee , Choi Ji-Eun , Kim Ki Joong , Lim Byung Chan
Published: January 2022

Background and Purpose: This study was aimed to describe focal epilepsy features of SCN1A mutation-positive Dravet syndrome patients.Methods: A total of 82 SCN1A mutation-positive patients were reviewed retrospectively (39 boys and 43 girls). Seizure type and electroencephalography (EEG) findings were investigated according to the stage, disease onset, and steady state (after age 2 years). Long-term video EEG data were used to classify the seizure type.Results: Focal seizures at onset and the steady state were found in 54.9% (45/82) and 90% (63/70) of patients, respectively. Afebrile focal seizures were an initial seizure in about one fourth of the patients (22/82, 26.8%). Of 48 seizures captured during long-term video EEG monitoring of 30 patients, 19 seizures were classified as focal onset (39.6%). Of the 19 focal seizures, 12 were either focal motor or focal non-motor seizures, and seven were focal onset bilateral tonic-clonic seizure. Focal epileptiform discharges were more frequent than generalized epileptiform discharges at seizure onset and during the clinical course on conventional EEG (3.7% vs. 0%, 52.9% vs. 32.9%, respectively).Conclusions: Our study provides a comprehensive description of focal epilepsy features of SCN1A mutation-positive Dravet syndrome patients. Recognizing these features as defining the clinical spectrum of Dravet syndrome may lead to earlier genetic diagnosis and tailored management.
Metoclopramide-induced Acute Dystonia Misdiagnosed as an Epileptic Seizure in a Lupus Patient
Authors: Emorinken Airenakho , Agbadaola Oluwaseun Remi
Published: January 2022

Acute dystonic reactions are the most prevalent extrapyramidal adverse effects associated with metoclopramide. It could be mistaken for a variety of other conditions, such as seizures, tetanus, and encephalitis, to name a few possibilities. We present a case of a 26-year-old female misdiagnosed as having an epileptic seizure who was rushed to the emergency unit with an involuntary bilateral upward deviation of the eyes, spasm, stiffness, lateral deviation of the neck, and protrusion of the tongue. Symptoms occurred 36 hours after the commencement of metoclopramide, used to treat nausea and vomiting in the referring hospital. All the laboratory work was normal. The drug was discontinued and 5 mg of intravenous biperiden was administered. The symptoms subsided in about 10 minutes with no recurrence. Metoclopramide-induced acute dystonia not only creates an anxious environment for patients but may also be life-threatening. Due to the high probability of misdiagnosis, detailed drug history and a high index of suspicion are critical in making the correct diagnosis.
Prospective Mapping of Land Cover and Land Use in The Classified Forest of The Upper Alibori Based on Satellite Imagery
Authors: Issiako Dramane , Arouna Ousséni , Soufiyanou Karimou , Imorou Ismaila Toko , Tente Brice
Published: January 2022

The dynamics of land cover and land use in the classified forest of the upper Alibori (FCAS) in relation to the disturbance of agro-pastoral activities is a major issue in the rational management of forest resources. The objective of this research is to simulate the evolutionary trend of land cover and land use in the FCAS by 2069 based on satellite images. Landsat images from 2009, 2014 and 2019 obtained from the earthexplorer-usgs archive were used. The methods used are diachronic mapping and spatial forecasting based on senarii. The MOLUSCE module available under QGIS remote sensing 2.18.2 is used to simulate the future evolution of land cover and land use in the FCAS. The land cover and use in the year 2069 is simulated using cellular automata based on the scenarios. The results show that natural land cover units have decreased while anthropogenic formations have increased between 2009 and 2014 and between 2014 and 2019. Under the "absence multi-criteria zoning (MZM)" scenario over a 50-year interval, land cover and use will be dominated by crop-fallow mosaics (88%). On the other hand, the scenario "implementation of a multicriteria zoning (MZE)", was issued with the aim of reversing the regressive trend of vegetation types by making a rational and sustainable management of resources.
Trends in The Adoption of New Geospatial Technologies for Spatial Planning and Land Management in 2021
Authors: De Vries Walter Timo
Published: January 2022

Changes in spatial planning and land management practices, regulations and operations have frequently relied on the uptake of innovations in geospatial technologies. This article reviews which ones the spatial planning and land management domains has effectively adopted and which new ones might potentially disrupt the domain in the near future of 2021 and beyond. Based on an extensive concept-centric trends synthesis and meta-review, the analysis demonstrates that whilst geospatial technologies are clearly gaining wider societal recognition and while private companies are indeed developing promising applications, its adoption in office work of public officials and public decision makers remains almost as limited as before. The potentially most disruptive technologies for the domain are however BIM, Block chain and Machine learning.
Investigations on the Influence of Surface Textures on Optical Reflectance of Multi-crystalline Silicone (MC-Si) Crystal Surfaces-Simulations and Experiments
Authors: Ullattil Sudeep , Kakkarath Sudheesh , Viswambharanunnithan Vinod , Ramannair Suresh Padiyath
Published: January 2022

MC-Si is the most widely used material for making solar PV cells. In spite of the considerable research on improving the conversion efficiency of MC-Si solar PV cells still it remains well within the range of 15-20%. Optical reflectance being the major loss of incident solar energy, efforts are being made to reduce the optical reflectance of solar cell surfaces. Among the several methods proposed, creation of well-defined surface topography on the cell surface remains a promising option. Micro/nano level features with various dimensions and distributions have been created on MC-Si crystal surfaces using a femto-second pulsed laser and the influence of surface topography on optical reflectance in the incident light wave length of 350 – 1000 nm have been studied and compared with the simulation results obtained using OPAL2 software. Experimental results indicate that surface textures on the wafer surface lead to the reduction of optical reflectance in the range of 20-35% in comparison with plain surface. Width of micro grooves have less significant effect on the optical reflectance in comparison with pitch between the micro grooves. Best reduction in reflectance is exhibited by the texture having a groove width of 30 mm and a pitch of 100 mm. A post texturing etching operation is found to have detrimental effect on the ability of micro/nano level features in decreasing the optical reflectance in the preferred wavelength of solar spectrum due to the flattening of nano level features created within the micro grooves due to laser texturing.
Next generation medical education from the student’s perspective
Authors: Yavuz Nurgül , Çula Nazlı Begüm , Ataş Birce , Gür Dilara , Asker Emre , Nakay Kerem , Gültekin Elif Sıdal , Kılıççıoğlu Uğur , Akbulut Yalçın Ural Turhan , Taşkın Zeynep
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Izmir University of Economics Faculty of Medicine’s aim is to implement a novel and effective system called “Next Generation Medical Education”. This system is designed to provide us a modernized medical education which covers the students’ requirements. This study is designed to investigate different aspects of this educational system from the student’s perspective.

Methods

Main characteristic features of the educational system was determined and a survey as well as phone interviews have been conducted in order to determine the views of the students of the faculty regarding these aspects.

Results

The survey and the phone interview results showed that the students are mostly satisfied with current system and all of its components.

Conclusions

We have determined the key aspects of the system as: integrated curriculum, learning to learn, advisorship, e-learning and feedback mechanisms. We believe that the next generation education system adopted by our faculty is a way of transforming medical education in order to train qualified physicians for tomorrow.
Human Astrocytes Exhibit Tumor Microenvironment-, Age-, and Sex-Related Transcriptomic Signatures
Authors: Krawczyk Mitchell C. , Haney Jillian R. , Pan Lin , Caneda Christine , Khankan Rana R. , Reyes Samuel D. , Chang Julia W. , Morselli Marco , Vinters Harry V. , Wang Anthony C. , Cobos Inma , Gandal Michael J. , Bergsneider Marvin , Kim Won , Liau Linda M. , Yong William , Jalali Ali , Deneen Benjamin , Grant Gerald A. , Mathern Gary W. , Fallah Aria , Zhang Ye
Published: January 2022

Astrocytes are critical for the development and function of synapses. There are notable species differences between human astrocytes and commonly used animal models. Yet, it is unclear whether astrocytic genes involved in synaptic function are stable or exhibit dynamic changes associated with disease states and age in humans, which is a barrier in understanding human astrocyte biology and its potential involvement in neurologic diseases. To better understand the properties of human astrocytes, we acutely purified astrocytes from the cerebral cortices of over 40 humans across various ages, sexes, and disease states. We performed RNA sequencing to generate transcriptomic profiles of these astrocytes and identified genes associated with these biological variables. We found that human astrocytes in tumor-surrounding regions downregulate genes involved in synaptic function and sensing of signals in the microenvironment, suggesting involvement of peritumor astrocytes in tumor-associated neural circuit dysfunction. In aging, we also found downregulation of synaptic regulators and upregulation of markers of cytokine signaling, while in maturation we identified changes in ionic transport with implications for calcium signaling. In addition, we identified subtle sexual dimorphism in human cortical astrocytes, which has implications for observed sex differences across many neurologic disorders. Overall, genes involved in synaptic function exhibit dynamic changes in the peritumor microenvironment and aging. These data provide powerful new insights into human astrocyte biology in several biologically relevant states that will aid in generating novel testable hypotheses about homeostatic and reactive astrocytes in humans.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTAstrocytes are an abundant class of cells playing integral roles at synapses. Astrocyte dysfunction is implicated in a variety of human neurologic diseases. Yet our knowledge of astrocytes is largely based on mouse studies. Direct knowledge of human astrocyte biology remains limited. Here, we present transcriptomic profiles of human cortical astrocytes, and we identified molecular differences associated with age, sex, and disease state. We found that peritumor and aging astrocytes downregulate genes involved in astrocyte–synapse interactions. These data provide necessary insight into human astrocyte biology that will improve our understanding of human disease.
Hemin-Induced Death Models Hemorrhagic Stroke and Is a Variant of Classical Neuronal Ferroptosis
Authors: Zille Marietta , Oses-Prieto Juan A. , Savage Sara R. , Karuppagounder Saravanan S. , Chen Yingxin , Kumar Amit , Morris John H. , Scheidt Karl A. , Burlingame Alma L. , Ratan Rajiv R.
Published: January 2022

Ferroptosis is a caspase-independent, iron-dependent form of regulated necrosis extant in traumatic brain injury, Huntington disease, and hemorrhagic stroke. It can be activated by cystine deprivation leading to glutathione depletion, the insufficiency of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase-4, and the hemolysis products hemoglobin and hemin. A cardinal feature of ferroptosis is extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 activation culminating in its translocation to the nucleus. We have previously confirmed that the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 inhibits persistent ERK1/2 phosphorylation and ferroptosis. Here, we show that hemin exposure, a model of secondary injury in brain hemorrhage and ferroptosis, activated ERK1/2 in mouse neurons. Accordingly, MEK inhibitor U0126 protected against hemin-induced ferroptosis. Unexpectedly, U0126 prevented hemin-induced ferroptosis independent of its ability to inhibit ERK1/2 signaling. In contrast to classical ferroptosis in neurons or cancer cells, chemically diverse inhibitors of MEK did not block hemin-induced ferroptosis, nor did the forced expression of the ERK-selective MAP kinase phosphatase (MKP)3. We conclude that hemin or hemoglobin-induced ferroptosis, unlike glutathione depletion, is ERK1/2-independent. Together with recent studies, our findings suggest the existence of a novel subtype of neuronal ferroptosis relevant to bleeding in the brain that is 5-lipoxygenase-dependent, ERK-independent, and transcription-independent. Remarkably, our unbiased phosphoproteome analysis revealed dramatic differences in phosphorylation induced by two ferroptosis subtypes. As U0126 also reduced cell death and improved functional recovery after hemorrhagic stroke in male mice, our analysis also provides a template on which to build a search for U0126's effects in a variant of neuronal ferroptosis.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTFerroptosis is an iron-dependent mechanism of regulated necrosis that has been linked to hemorrhagic stroke. Common features of ferroptotic death induced by diverse stimuli are the depletion of the antioxidant glutathione, production of lipoxygenase-dependent reactive lipids, sensitivity to iron chelation, and persistent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling. Unlike classical ferroptosis induced in neurons or cancer cells, here we show that ferroptosis induced by hemin is ERK-independent. Paradoxically, the canonical MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 blocks brain hemorrhage-induced death. Altogether, these data suggest that a variant of ferroptosis is unleashed in hemorrhagic stroke. We present the first, unbiased phosphoproteomic analysis of ferroptosis as a template on which to understand distinct paths to cell death that meet the definition of ferroptosis.
Leading Us Unto Temptation? No Evidence for an Asymmetry in Automatic Associations Between Goals and Temptations
Authors: Francis Zoë , Jebanesan Aravinth , Inzlicht Michael
Published: January 2022

The asymmetry hypothesis of counteractive control theory suggests that—at least for successful self-regulators—exposure to temptations facilitates the accessibility of goal-related cognitive constructs, whereas exposure to goals inhibits the accessibility of temptation-related cognitive constructs. Using a lexical decision task, Fishbach et al., 2003 (Study 3) found that this asymmetry existed even at an automatic level of processing. In this attempted replication, 221 students completed a lexical decision task that included goal-related and temptation-related stimuli words preceded by either a goal-related prime, a temptation-related prime, or an irrelevant prime. Unlike the original study, we found only significant priming effects, where temptation-primes facilitated the recognition of goal-related words and goal-primes likewise facilitated the recognition of temptation-related words. We did not replicate the previously reported asymmetry. Additionally, we found no significant moderation of the hypothesized priming asymmetry by any of the traits of self-regulatory success, construal level, temptation strength, or self-control, again failing to replicate prior findings. The same priming patterns were found among participants who completed the study in-lab and those who completed the study online. This replication study suggests that the cognitive associations between goals and temptations are relatively symmetric and faciliatory, at least during the initial, automatic level of cognitive processing.
Evaluation of the quality of life of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
Authors: Carlos Eliana Aparecida , Borgato José Adriano , Garbuio Danielle Cristina
Published: January 2022

Objective: to assess the quality of life of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: a cross-sectional study carried out in the chemotherapy sector with 51 patients able to answer the data collection instruments. For the analyses, we adopted the variance analysis and Student’s t. Results: the health score indicated moderate quality of life and the symptoms nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and dyspnea were the most present. The scores of the global health scale showed differences between age groups and presence of metastasis; diarrhea and financial difficulties showed differences with respect to gender; pain was more cited by those who did not undergo surgery; insomnia and nausea and vomiting were related to the time of treatment. Conclusion: participants had moderate overall health scores and the main functional levels affected by the treatment were social and emotional.
Nurse managers in mental health units: from activities to time management
Authors: Alferes Luísa Paula da Silva Pires , Martins Maria Manuela Ferreira Pereira da Silva , Santos Margarida Reis , Teixeira Manuela Josefa da Rocha , Poeira Ana Filipa da Silva , Pires Regina Maria Ferreira , Asseiro Alferes Rui Paulo
Published: January 2022

Objective: to understand the use of time by nurse managers in psychiatry and mental health units, as they carry out their daily tasks. Methods: cross-sectional study, carried out by 48 managers from public psychiatric units and from the social sector. Data collection was made through an online questionnaire that is part of the Scale of Perception of Nurse Manager Work, including 43 items separated in five functional domains of nurse managers. The responses were in a Likert scale: does not take time, takes little time, takes some time, takes much time. Results: the activities inherent to ethical and legal professional practices and to the management of care and of human resources required more time from the manager when compared to policy interventions, and consulting and professional development. Conclusion: the managers recognize that managing time implies organization, planning work, and establishing priorities in the tasks to be developed.
Sexual practices of women who have sex with women and condom use
Authors: Cavalcante Daniela Raulino , Ribeiro Samila Gomes , Pinheiro Ana Karina Bezerra , Soares Paula Renata Amorim Lessa , Aquino Priscila de Souza , Chaves Anne Fayma Lopes
Published: January 2022

Objective: to analyze the sexual practice of women who have sex with women and its association with condom use. Methods: correlational study involving 231 women who have sex with women, recruited through electronic application (Instagram and WhatsApp). A questionnaire was applied through Google Forms, containing sociodemographic data, sexual history, and the types of sexual practices. Results: most women performed oral sex (86.4%) and manual sex (86.9%) without using condoms. A large proportion (84.8%) reported the use of fomites in sexual practices without condoms. The inexistence of a fixed partnership (p=0.000) and the performance of sex with vaginal contact (p=0.013) were associated with sexual intercourse without condoms. Conclusion: the sexual practice of women who have sex with women points to greater vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections, by practicing oral and vaginal sex with manual practices without the use of barrier methods.
Validity of an instrument on Nursing care for people with chronic wounds
Authors: Gonzaga Maria Helloysa Herculano Pereira de Oliveira  Araújo , Felix Lidiany Galdino , Mendonça Ana Elza Oliveira de , Silva Ana Cristina de Oliveira e , Oliveira Simone Helena dos Santos , Carvalho Paula Soares , Soares Maria Julia Guimarães Oliveira
Published: January 2022

Objective: to build and validate the content of an instrument to investigate changes in the Nursing care provided to people with chronic wounds. Methods: methodological study, consisting of the stages of development and content validity, according to the criteria of clarity and relevance, by six judges, using the Delphi technique in two rounds. A Coefficient of Content Validity ≥ 0.8 was considered adequate. Results: the first version of the instrument contained 15 questions and after the judges’ evaluation it was reduced to 11, addressing the periods before and during the pandemic. In the second round of evaluation, it was verified that the instrument showed a total content validity coefficient equal to 0.96. Conclusion: the instrument showed evidence of content validity and can be used to investigate possible changes resulting from the pandemic of COVID-19 in the Nursing care of people with chronic wounds in Primary Care.