bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for interruption in treatment among HIV-infected adolescence attending health care and treatment clinics in Tanzania
Authors: Mtisi Expeditho L. , Mushy Stella E. , Mkawe Simon G. , Ndjovu Antony , Mboggo Eric , Mlay Boniface S. , Ngalesoni Frida , Muya Aisa
Published: April 2023

Background

Interruption in Treatment (IIT) is a challenge in HIV care and treatment programs in sub- Saharan Africa. High IIT among HIV adolescents has both individual and potential public health consequences including discontinuation of treatment, increased HIV transmission and risk of death. In this era of test and treat policy it is important to ensure that patients remain connected to HIV clinics to enable achieve UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets timely. This study aimed to assess risk factors for IIT among HIV-positive adolescence in Tanzania.

Methods

We conducted retrospective longitudinal cohort study using secondary data of adolescent patients enrolled in care and treatment clinics in Tanga from October 2018 to December 2020. We defined Interuption in Treatment as missing clinic visits for 90 consecutive days after the last scheduled appointment date on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed to identify risk factors of the outcome variable.

Results

Among 2,084 adolescents of age between 15 and 19 years were followed for two years, whereby 546 (26.2%) had interrupted treatment. The median age of the participants was 14.6 years (interquartile range, IQR: 12.6–16.6 years), with age between 15 and 19 years, male sex, with advanced HIV disease and were not on Dolutegravir (DTG) related regimens were associated with interruption in treatment; (Hazard ratio (HR) 1.43, 95% CI: 1.23–1.66, p < 0.0001, HR 2.47, 95% CI: 1.62–3.77, p < 0.0001, HR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.91– 3.21, p < 0.0001 and HR: 6.67, 95% CI: 3.36– 7.04, p < 0.0001 respectively). Adolescents who were on ART for less or equal one year compared to those on ART for more than one year were protective toward interruption in treatment (HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.54–0.87, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

The risk of interruption in treatment was high among adolescents in HIV care and treatment facilities in Tanga. This might lead to poor clinical outcomes, and increased drug resistance among ART-initiated adolescents. Placing more adolescents with DTG based drug, strengthening access to care and treatment and rapid tracking of patients is recommended to improve patient outcomes.
Molecular epidemiology analysis of symptomatic and asymptomatic norovirus infections in Chinese infants
Authors: Chen Li-Na , Wang Si-Jie , Wang Song-Mei , Fu Xiao-Li , Zheng Wen-Jing , Hao Zhi-Yong , Zhou Hai-Song , Zhang Xin-Jiang , Zhao Yu-Liang , Qiu Chao , von Seidlein Lorenz , Qiu Tian-Yi , Wang Xuan-Yi
Published: April 2023

Background

Norovirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among children. Previous studies based on symptomatic infections indicated that mutations, rather than recombination drove the evolution of the norovirus ORF2. These characteristics were found in hospital-based symptomatic infections, whereas, asymptomatic infections are frequent and contribute significantly to transmission.

Methods

We conducted the first norovirus molecular epidemiology analysis covering both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections derived from a birth cohort study in the northern China.

Results

During the study, 14 symptomatic and 20 asymptomatic norovirus infections were detected in 32 infants. Out of the 14 strains that caused symptomatic infections, 12 strains were identified as GII.3[P12], and others were GII.4[P31]. Conversely, 17 asymptomatic infections were caused by GII.4[P31], two by GII.2[P16], and one by GII.4[P16]. Regardless of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, the mutations were detected frequently in the ORF2 region, and almost all recombination were identified in the RdRp-ORF2 region. The majority of the mutations were located around the predefined epitope regions of P2 subdomain indicating a potential for immune evasion.

Conclusion

The role of symptomatic as well as asymptomatic infections in the evolution of norovirus needs to be evaluated continuously.
Smartphone intervention to optimize medication-assisted treatment outcomes for opioid use disorder: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Thompson Ronald G. , Bollinger Mary , Mancino Michael J. , Hasin Deborah , Han Xiaotong , Bush Keith A. , Kilts Clint D. , James G. Andrew
Published: April 2023

Background

Opioids accounted for 75% of drug overdoses in the USA in 2020, with rural states particularly impacted by the opioid crisis. While medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with Suboxone remains one of the more efficacious treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD), approximately 40% of people receiving Suboxone for outpatient MAT for OUD (MOUD) relapse within the first 6 months of treatment. We developed the smartphone app-based intervention OptiMAT as an adjunctive intervention to improve MOUD outcomes. The aims of this study are to (1) evaluate the efficacy of adjunctive OptiMAT use in reducing opioid misuse among people receiving MOUD and (2) evaluate the role of specific OptiMAT features in reducing opioid misuse, including the use of GPS-driven just-in-time intervention.

Methods

We will conduct a two-arm, single-blind, randomized controlled trial of adults receiving outpatient MOUD in the greater Little Rock AR area. Participants are English-speaking adults ages 18 or older recently enrolled in outpatient MOUD at one of our participating study clinics. Participants will be allocated via 1:1 randomized block design to (1) MOUD with adjunctive use of OptiMAT (MOUD+OptiMAT) or (2) MOUD without OptiMAT (MOUD-only). Our blinded research statistician will evaluate differences between the two groups in opioid misuse (as determined by quantitative urinalysis conducted by clinical lab staff blinded to group membership) during the 6-months following study enrolment. Secondary analyses will evaluate if OptiMAT-usage patterns within the MOUD+OptiMAT group predict opioid misuse or continued abstinence.

Discussion

This study will test if adjunctive use of OptiMAT improve MOUD outcomes. Study findings could lead to expansion of OptiMAT into rural clinical settings, and the identification of OptiMAT features which best predict positive clinical outcome could lead to refinement of this and similar smartphone app-based interventions.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov
identifier: NCT05336188, registered March 21, 2022.
High non-compliance rate among presumptive tuberculosis cases referred from peripheral health facilities in silti district of Southern Ethiopia: a mixed methods study
Authors: Milkias Habtamu , Yewhalaw Delenasaw , Abebe Gemeda
Published: April 2023

Background

For presumptive Tuberculosis (TB) case referral to be effective, most of the referred cases need to present themselves to health facilities for assessment and testing. Otherwise, cases of TB could be missed, and these cases are at an increased risk of delayed diagnosis, complications and death. Further, their care incurs significantly higher costs. This study assessed referral compliance as well as factors attributable to compliance/non-compliance to referral of presumptive TB cases in Silti district, Southern Ethiopia.

Method

We applied a mixed design involving both quantitative and qualitative methods. A randomly selected sample of 384 presumptive TB cases referred between January, 2014 and July 2021 were included in this study from the records of 12 health posts. Purposefully selected presumptive TB cases and Health Extension Workers were also interviewed to get in-depth information on the reasons for compliance and non-compliance to referral. STATA version 14 was employed to model the data using logistic regression. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis.

Results

Of the 384 referred presumptive TB cases, close to 49% did not present themselves to the referral facilities. About 66% (n = 249) of the referred cases were women, and 62% (n = 119) of those who complied to referral were women. In multivariate analysis, cough [AOR = 3.4, 95%CI: 1.54–7.32], and chest pain [AOR = 2.7, 95%CI: 1.45–5.05] were independent predictors of compliance to referral. Nearly 5.5% (n = 21) of TB cases of all types were identified. The qualitative data analysis revealed that severe disease symptoms, HEW’s recommendations, and social issues as reasons improving compliance while personal and social factors, financial problems, lack of awareness about TB and transportation were reasons impeding compliance to referral.

Conclusion

Our study showed a high level of non-compliance to referral among referred presumptive TB cases. We also found that more women were referred and also complied with the referral. Strengthening community awareness about the disease symptoms and the existence of free treatment, addressing misconceptions about TB, supporting the elderly and disabled, and checkup house visits after referral could improve compliance to referral.
Prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction among women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a case-control study
Authors: Omar Mohamed Gamil , Yousef Amel Mohamed , Kamel Hossam El-din Hussein , Yosri Mahitab Mohamed
Published: April 2023

Background

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a wide term, involving a large array of conditions that negatively impact many women around the world. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is another disorder with long-term serious consequences. Being a disease of hormonal imbalances, PCOS may possibly affect the function of the pelvic floor muscles leading to PFD. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the prevalence of PFD among women with PCOS.

Methods

This is an observational, case-control study. A total of 368 women, aged from 20 to 35 years, with a body mass index (BMI) range of 20 to 30 kg/m2 recruited from Kasr El-Ainy teaching hospital shared in the study. They were classified into case group (PCOS patients; n=184) and control group (non-PCOS participants; n=184), with matched age and BMI for comparison. All case-group women were diagnosed with PCOS, based on Rotterdam diagnostic criteria, while the control group women had regular menstrual cycles. Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) was used to identify PFD in the tested groups. The demographic features of the two groups were compared using the unpaired t test, while the chi-squared test was used to determine the prevalence of PFD among women with PCOS. Also, multiple linear regression was done to asses other PFD risk factors in both groups.

Results

Out of 380 women, 368 were involved in the study with mean ± standard deviation (SD) for the age and BMI of 28.48±4.87 years and 25.9±5.8 kg/m2, respectively, for the control group, and 28.76±5.33 years and 27±6.1 kg/m2, respectively, for the PCOS group, without a significant difference in either of the age and BMI between groups (P > 0.05). The frequency distribution of women with and without PFD in both groups revealed that the PCOS group included 68 (37%) women with PFD. While the control group included 12 (6%) women with PFD, with a significant difference (P=0. 03) in the prevalence between both groups. Also, multiple regression revealed that PCOS condition significantly affected PFD.

Conclusion

PFD was prevalent among women with PCOS, compared to the control group, suggesting a possible link between both conditions.
Broken tooth: a biological foreign body—case report
Authors: Rao Kartika , Bhandarkar Pallavi
Published: April 2023

Background

Broken tooth fragments that get lodged post trauma in oral cavity lacerations should not go unnoticed during primary care of the patient. Tooth fragments can act as a biological foreign body. Unnoticed foreign bodies can give rise to granulomas, sepsis, and fistula formation.

Aim

This article stresses on the need for all primary contact medical staff and residents to pay additional attention on patients with a loose/broken tooth and a laceration. Early removal of tooth fragment is key to avoiding granuloma formation and thus the need to excise the surrounding tissue.

Case presentation

A 70-year-old female presented with a post traumatic upper lip swelling. A broken tooth fragment was studied on plain CT scan and removed under local anesthesia. A speedy restoration of normal anatomy was seen due to early diagnosis and removal.

Conclusions

Dental traumas, being the commonest maxillofacial injuries, have a significant impact on the physical, cosmetic, and emotional health of the patient. Careful assessment of a patient with history of trauma and a missing/broken tooth is mandatory.
Queer Time and the Cinematic Pleasures of theLocus AmoenusinFree Fall
Authors: Malakaj Ervin
Published: April 2023

The locus amoenus boasts a long history in cultural representation as a motif affiliated with impossible unions. This article seeks to articulate it as an analytic category for contemporary queer cinema. It does so on the basis of a detailed analysis of Stephan Lacant's Freier Fall (Free Fall, 2013). Lacant's film presents two intertwined temporal structures that converge in the film's evocation of the locus amoenus. On the one hand, Free Fall depicts a heteronormative habitus into which its main character, Marc (Hanno Koffler), is socialized. Here, in the domain of chrononormativity (Freeman), the protagonist's past and present align and are intended to shape the future. On the other hand, the locus amoenus generates an alternate, queer temporal order for Marc: on meeting Kay (Max Riemelt), Marc derails. The regular liaison with Kay poses a threat to the hegemonic order and indexes a queer presentism competing with the regimented hetero temporality of his familial life. The analysis of these competing and intertwined temporal orders will show how the regular narrative recurrence of the locus amoenus in the film — next to being a driving force for the film's melodramatic sentimentality — also stimulates “viewerly” pleasure. This pleasure is immediately tethered to the rhythm of the motif's recurrence and the disabling of hegemonic pressures faced by the protagonist. However, the momentary recourse to queer pleasure afforded by the locus amoenus does not anticipate affirmative queer futures. As this article demonstrates, the locus amoenus advances a queer presentism that compromises liberatory potentials.
Different techniques utilized for characterization of metallic nanoparticles synthesized using biological agents: A review
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Ranjan Rakesh , Sinha Manoranjan Prasad , Raipat Bharti Singh
Published: April 2023

Nanobiotechnology, an emerging stream, is an amalgamation of nanotechnology and biology. It involves synthesis of metallic nanoparticles mediated by biological materials of both plant and animal origins. The biological process of synthesis of nanoparticles is ecofriendly, requires less labor, and has many unique properties, derived from the biological matter used in their synthesis. The synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has to be followed by the characterization for different properties such as size, shape, capping materials, stability etc, which helps in clearly defining the synthesized nanoparticles on the basis of the observied properties. Keeping our past works, synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles in the background, we have reviewed different techniques utilized for characterization of metallic nanoparticles synthesized using biological agents. This review will serve as a comprehensive guide, assisting in better understanding techniques for characterization of metallic nanoparticles synthesized using biological agents.
Μελέτη των οργανοφωσφορικών εστέρων στο περιβάλλον
Authors: Παντελάκη Ιωάννα
Published: April 2023

Οι οργανοφωσφορικοί εστέρες (OPEs) χρησιμοποιούνται είτε ως πρόσθετα σε εύφλεκτα υλικά (ηλεκτρικές/ηλεκτρονικές συσκευές, οχήματα, αφρός πολυουρεθάνης, υφάσματα) για την πρόληψη ή καθυστέρηση της πυρκαγιάς είτε ως πλαστικοποιητές για την προστασία ή ενίσχυση των ιδιοτήτων των πλαστικών. Έχουν ανιχνευτεί τόσο στο αβιοτικό όσο και στο βιοτικό περιβάλλον, ενώ η έκθεση σε αυτές τις ενώσεις προκαλεί ανησυχία σχετικά με κυτταροτοξικότητα, νευροτοξικότητα, καρκινογένεση και ενδοκρινική διαταραχή. Μέχρι σήμερα, δεν υπάρχουν δεδομένα σχετικά με την παρουσία των OPEs στο υδάτινο περιβάλλον της Ελλάδας. Στόχος της διατριβής είναι η ολοκληρωμένη μελέτη της παρουσίας, της περιβαλλοντικής τύχης και της επικινδυνότητας των οργανοφωσφορικών εστέρων (ΟPEs) στο αστικό/παράκτιο περιβάλλον της ευρύτερης περιοχής της Θεσσαλονίκης. Αναπτύχθηκαν και επικυρώθηκαν μέθοδοι προσδιορισμού 11 ΟΡΕs σε υγρά και στερεά περιβαλλοντικά δείγματα μέσω εκχύλισης στερεάς φάσης ή εκχύλισης υποβοηθούμενης με υπερήχους, ενώ ο ποσοτικός προσδιορισμός έγινε με την τεχνική της αέριας χρωματογραφίας-φασματομετρίας μάζας σε σειρά (GC-MS/MS). Οι περισσότερες ενώσεις ανιχνεύθηκαν σε υψηλά ποσοστά (>70%) στα εσωτερικά και παράκτια ύδατα της Θεσσαλονίκης, με την ένωση TBOEP να κυριαρχεί. Οι υψηλότερες αθροιστικές συγκεντρώσεις (ΣOPEs) βρέθηκαν κυρίως στο ρέμα Δενδροποτάμου (4297-30560 ng/L). Από την εκτίμηση του οικοτοξικολογικού κινδύνου για τρία είδη αντιπροσωπευτικά της υδρόβιας ζωής (φύκη, ασπόνδυλα, ψάρια) βρέθηκε χαμηλή επικινδυνότητα για τα περισσότερα δείγματα, εκτός από το ρέμα Δενδροποτάμου, το οποίο υποδηλώνει πιθανό κίνδυνο. Καθώς τα αστικά λύματα αποτελούν πηγές αναδυόμενων ρύπων στο υδάτινο περιβάλλον, μελετήθηκε η παρουσία και τύχη των OPEs σε δύο εγκαταστάσεις επεξεργασίας αστικών λυμάτων όπου έγινε προσδιορισμός των OPEs σε όλα τα στάδια επεξεργασίας σε υγρά και στερεά δείγματα (εισροή, πρωτοβάθμια καθίζηση, δευτεροβάθμια καθίζηση, εκροή, πρωτοβάθμια ιλύς, ενεργός ιλύς και αφυδατωμένη ιλύς). Παρατηρήθηκε ότι η απομάκρυνση των περισσότερων ενώσεων κατά μήκος της επεξεργασίας κυμαίνεται από 55 έως 80%, ενώ χαμηλότερα ποσοστά (<50%) βρέθηκαν για τους χλωριωμένους OPEs. Οι διεργασίες που επηρεάζουν την τύχη των ΟΡΕs στις μονάδες επεξεργασίας περιλαμβάνουν βιοαποικοδόμηση, ρόφηση στην ιλύ και εξάτμιση. Οι ατμοσφαιρικές αποθέσεις μπορεί επίσης να συνεισφέρουν στην παρουσία των OPEs στο περιβάλλον. Στα αιωρούμενα σωματίδια PM2,5, ανιχνεύθηκαν 6 ενώσεις σε ποσοστό 85-100%, ενώ η αξιολόγηση της έκθεσης μέσω εισπνοής των ΡΜ2,5 έδειξε χαμηλό κίνδυνο για τους ενήλικες και τα παιδιά. Όλες οι ενώσεις προσδιορίστηκαν στα δείγματα της βροχής (80-100%) σε συγκεντρώσεις που κυμαίνονταν από 520 έως 4719 ng/L.
I Hear You: Does Quality Improve with Customer Voice?
Authors: Ananthakrishnan Uttara , Proserpio Davide , Sharma Siddhartha
Published: April 2023

The paper show that online reviews can help hotels improve their quality
ENSINO DE MATEMÁTICA: ANÁLISE SOBRE AS TAREFAS ESCOLARES DO EIXO NÚMEROS E OPERAÇÕES
Authors: Assumpção Maiara Pereira , Moraes Silvia Pereira Gonzaga de
Published: April 2023

O modo como o ensino de matemática, em especial o eixo números e operações, está organizado nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental possibilita a apropriação dos conceitos e o desenvolvimento do pensamento teórico dos estudantes? Essa pergunta tornou-se um problema a ser investigado, visto que, as crianças em geral, estão chegando ao 6° ano do Ensino Fundamental sem terem apropriado dos conteúdos básicos de matemática, conforme constata-se na literatura da área. Assim, o objetivo dessa pesquisa consistiu em investigar como o eixo números e operações tem sido trabalhado com os escolares do 1° ao 5° ano, a fim de compreender que tipo de pensamento tem sido possível formar pelos estudantes. Para a investigação desse fenômeno, foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa de caráter bibliográfico e documental, em que as fontes foram os cadernos de matemática de alunos de uma escola pública do noroeste do Paraná. Na análise dos dados, foi verificado a predominância do trabalho com o eixo números e operações em relação aos demais eixos, como também, diversas tarefas repetitivas, em que a mudança residiu no aumento quantitativo dos valores dos numerais trabalhados. Constatou-se, que a ênfase desse tipo de ensino está nos aspectos externos dos conceitos e não, por exemplo, nos próprios conceitos constitutivos do Sistema de Numeração Decimal. Os dados revelaram que essa forma de ensino restringe a formação do pensamento teórico dos estudantes.
O cenário pandêmico e suas implicações na educação básica: uma análise da experiência do amazonas no ensino remoto
Authors: De Oliveira Kacia Neto , De Carvalho Maria Aparecida Oliveira , Dolzane Maria Ione Feitoza
Published: April 2023

Este artigo traz um recorte da experiência do Estado do Amazonas na adoção do modelo remoto de ensino durante a pandemia do Novo Coronavírus - COVID-19 nos anos de 2020 e 2021. Neste contexto, buscou-se identificar os desafios do Ensino Remoto no desenvolvimento da função da escola, bem como, da continuidade e/ou descontinuidade dos processos pedagógicos por ela desenvolvidos, evidenciando como os sujeitos envolvidos desenvolveram estratégias pedagógicas que pudessem, de alguma forma, alcançar os estudantes. A metodologia utilizada pautou-se na análise de conteúdo que permite uma técnica de pesquisa científica com procedimentos sistemáticos, mas ao mesmo tempo, intersubjetivamente validados e públicos, permitindo gerar inferências válidas sobre determinados conteúdos verbais, visuais ou escritos, pela descrição, quantificação ou interpretação de certo fenômeno nos seus significados, intenções, consequências ou contextos. Os resultados nos mostraram que os professores disponibilizaram conteúdos pedagógicos aos alunos se utilizando de Tecnologia da informação e comunicação (TIC) digitais e analógicas, evidenciando que um número significativo de estudantes da rede pôde adquirir conhecimentos, avançando na aprendizagem, através de estratégias diferenciadas que puderam minimizar impactos no processo de ensino e aprendizagens entre os estudantes.
BNCC e as competências socioemocionais: uma análise crítica às propostas de formação continuada
Authors: Vital Soraya Cunha Couto , Urt Sonia Da Cunha
Published: April 2023

As propostas apresentadas pela BNCC, que retratam a ênfase nas competências e habilidades tomadas sob o enfoque socioemocional, parecem oferecer uma supremacia desse aspecto aos outros componentes do desenvolvimento humano, desfavorecendo uma concepção de desenvolvimento integral. Entretanto, a formação humana que se propõe pautada na unidade cognitivo-afetiva sob a perspectiva da Psicologia Histórico-Cultural, encontra-se como suporte para a discussão do que se vem descortinando no contexto atual da formação continuada de professores, ao evidenciar programas e treinamentos em habilidades socioemocionais descolados dos aspectos cognitivos e, ainda mais, revestidos de um caráter ideológico, ao supor, por meio de um discurso sedutor, uma superação da crise na educação e no processo de aprendizagem.  Neste artigo, objetiva-se apontar e discutir a formação continuada de professores sustentada pelos fundamentos da BNCC – a teoria das competências e das habilidades, a partir do olhar da Psicologia Histórico-Cultural, compartilhando o recorte de um estudo realizado em processo de doutoramento em Educação, que analisa criticamente a visão reducionista dessas competências e sua inter-relação com o processo contínuo de formação docente. Conclui-se que, para favorecer a leitura da realidade pelos professores, é preciso uma formação consistente, que revele e estabeleça as relações dialéticas entre desenvolvimento e aprendizagem, cognição e afetividade, constituindo, dessa forma, um contraponto ao determinismo emocional de ser, fazer e existir ou voltar a existir no corpus do contexto escolar.
Other People in Career Choice Influence Career Self-Efficacy and Individual Career Self-Management
Authors: Sinring Abdullah , Umar Nur Fadhilah
Published: April 2023

The study aims to point out direct and indirect correlations between others' roles on career self-efficacy, and career self-management. This research uses a multifactor correlational model, samples were 342 students. The research instruments are Career Self-Management Self-Efficacy Scale (CEDLE-Scale), Career Decision Self-Efficacy (CDSE Short-Form), and Role Model Influence Career Decisions Scale (RIMICDS). Data were analyzed using path analysis with AMOS 23. The findings show that 1) the variable of others' role directly influences career self-efficacy; 2) career self-management directly influences the career self-efficacy on career self-efficacy; 3) others' influence on career decision directly influences the career self-management, and 4) others' role on the career decision indirectly influences self-efficacy moderated by career self-management. Support, guidance, and inspiration from others will ease someone in deciding on a career. Guidance for managing a career will improve career self-efficacy. It will then positively contribute to the self-confidence to pursue the career.
Susceptibility profile of Zimbabwean livestock fecal Escherichia coli isolates to veterinary antibiotics: Implications for standardization of antimicrobial resistance surveillance in livestock production
Authors: Munengwa Anderson , Nation Chikumba , Alban Mugoti , Lenin Dziwanyika
Published: April 2023

Susceptibility patterns of Escherichia coli to Veterinary Critically Important Antimicrobials (VCIAs) are poorly understood in most developing countries. We determined those patterns on n = 180 livestock fecal isolates from Chikomba district by disk diffusion method. Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) indices for the isolates were determined for risk analysis. Chi-square was used to test how antibiotic susceptibility level associated with animal species and farming scale. Resistance to Tetracycline and Ampicillin was high across animal species (above 70%). Moderate levels of resistance (30% to 54%) to Erythromycin, Trimethoprim and Chloramphenicol were detected across livestock species. Resistance levels were low (below 30 %) for Ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin. Resistance to Gentamicin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol and Ceftazidime was associated with animal species (P ˂ 0.05). Antibiotic susceptibility patterns were independent of farming scale (P 0.05). Frequencies of isolates within each risk zone depended on animal species (P ˂ 0.05), contrary to farming systems (P 0.05). Multi-Drug Resistance was 73%, where most isolates were resistant to 5 antibiotics (23%) and none exhibited resistance to all antibiotics. Only 55% of isolates from cattle and over 80% from pigs and layers were within the high risk zone.  Twenty nine of the isolates were extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) positive. Higher ESBL frequencies (44%) were observed within Large Scale Commercial Farms (LSCF) followed by for Small Scale Commercial Farms (SSCF) (25%) and Resettlement farms (A1) (14%). Similarly, ESBL prevalence varied by livestock species (P 0.05), as follows: pig (39%), layers (32%) and beef (12%). Our study suggests high incidences of multi-drug resistance in livestock which need AMR surveillance strategies. Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, Pigs, Poultry, Beef cattle, Escherichia coli
Principal component analysis of bodyweight and morphometric traits in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)
Authors: Chimezie Victoria O. , Akintunde Adeyinka Oye , Ademola Abimbola Alice , Aina F. A.
Published: April 2023

Principal component analyses were used to evaluate sexual dimorphism and the relationship among morphometric traits of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 153-day old quails (92 males and 61 females) were used in the study. The birds were housed in a wooden cage and fed ad-libitum. Data on body weight, body length, body girth, shank length, drumstick, wing length, keel length and shank length were obtained on a weekly basis using digital scale balance, measuring tape, and vernier caliper for a period of eight weeks. Principal component analysis was performed on the data obtained using the dimension reduction with factor analysis and morphometric traits were also correlated with body weight using SPSS statistical package version 21. Female birds had a significant higher (p0.05) body weight, body girth, drumstick, and wing length value than male counterpart, while no significant difference was observed for body length and shank diameter in both genders. A significant (p0.05) high and positive correlation coefficient was obtained between body weight and other linear measurements in both sexes. For both the male and female birds, one principal component was extracted, which explained 87.79 percent and 91.34 percent of the total variation observed in both species, respectively. . The principal components had its highest loading on keel length for both male and female Japanese quail and correlated highly with all parameters measured. Thus, the keel length could be used as selection criteria for improving body weight of Japanese quail.
The impact of COVID-19 in children with Sickle Cell Disease: Results of a multicentric registry
Authors: Oliveira Claudia de Melo , Soares Victor Jablonski , Pellegrini Braga Josefina Aparecida , Alcantara Bonilha Thaís , Magalhães Isis , Loggetto Sandra Regina , Rechenmacher Ciliana , Daudt Liane Esteves , Michalowski Mariana Bohns
Published: April 2023

Objective

To analyze the outcomes of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and COVID-19.

Method

A multicenter prospective study was conducted in five hematological centers from Central and Southeast Brazil, starting in April 2020. The variables recorded include clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods, therapeutic measures, and treatment sites. The clinical repercussions of the infection on the initial treatment and the overall prognosis were also evaluated.

Results

Twenty-five unvaccinated children, aged 4 to 17 years, with SCD and a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result participated in this study. Patients were classified as SCD types SS (n = 20, 80%) and SC (n = 5, 20%). Clinical characteristics and evolution were similar in both groups (p>0.05), except for the fetal hemoglobin value which was higher among the SC patients (p = 0.025). The most frequent symptoms were hyperthermia (72%) and cough (40%). Three children were admitted to the intensive care unit, all of whom were overweight/obese (p = 0.078). No deaths were observed.

Conclusions

Although SCD leads to specific complications, the results found in this sample suggest that COVID-19 does not seem to carry an increased mortality risk in pediatric patients with this disease.
Associations between excessive fatigue and pain, sleep, mental-health and work factors in Norwegian nurses
Authors: Hiestand Stand , Forthun Ingeborg , Waage Siri , Pallesen Ståle , Bjorvatn Bjørn
Published: April 2023

Aim

To investigate whether pain, sleep duration, insomnia, sleepiness, work-related factors, anxiety, and depression associate with excessive fatigue in nurses.

Background

Fatigue among nurses is a problem in the context of ongoing nursing shortages. While myriad factors are associated with fatigue not all relationships are understood. Prior studies have not examined excessive fatigue in the context of pain, sleep, mental health, and work factors in a working population to determine if associations between excessive fatigue and each of these factors remain when adjusting for each other.

Methods

A cross-sectional questionnaire study among 1,335 Norwegian nurses. The questionnaire included measures for fatigue (Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, score ≥4 categorized as excessive fatigue), pain, sleep duration, insomnia (Bergen Insomnia Scale), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and work-related factors. Associations between the exposure variables and excessive fatigue were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses.

Results

In the fully adjusted model, significant associations were found between excessive fatigue and pain severity scores for arms/wrists/hands (adjusted OR (aOR) = 1.09, CI = 1.02–1.17), hips/legs/knees/feet (aOR = 1.11, CI = 1.05–1.18), and headaches/migraines (aOR = 1.16, CI = 1.07–1.27), sleep duration of <6 hours (aOR = 2.02, CI = 1.08–3.77), and total symptom scores for insomnia (aOR = 1.05, CI = 1.03–1.08), sleepiness (aOR = 1.11, CI = 1.06–1.17), anxiety (aOR = 1.09, CI = 1.03–1.16), and depression (aOR = 1.24, CI = 1.16–1.33). The musculoskeletal complaint-severity index score (aOR = 1.27, CI = 1.13–1.42) was associated with excessive fatigue in a separate model adjusted for all variables and demographics. Excessive fatigue was also associated with shift work disorder (OR = 2.25, CI = 1.76–2.89) in a model adjusted for demographics. We found no associations with shift work, number of night shifts and number of quick returns (<11 hours between shifts) in the fully adjusted model.

Conclusion

Excessive fatigue was associated with pain, sleep- and mental health-factors in a fully adjusted model.
Context congruence: How associative learning modulates cultural evolution
Authors: Tamariz Monica , Papa Aliki , Cristea Mioara , McGuigan Nicola
Published: April 2023

The adoption of cultural variants by learners is affected by multiple factors including the prestige of the model and the value and frequency of different variants. However, little is known about what affects onward cultural transmission, or the choice of variants that models produce to pass on to new learners. This study investigated the effects on this choice of congruence between two contexts: the one in which variants are learned and the one in which they are later transmitted on. We hypothesized that when we are placed in a particular context, we will be more likely to produce (and therefore transmit) variants that we learned in that same (congruent) context. In particular, we tested the effect of a social contextual aspect–the relationship between model and learner. Our participants learned two methods to solve a puzzle, a variant from an “expert” (in an expert-to-novice context) and another one from a “peer” (in a peer-to-peer context). They were then asked to transmit one method onward, either to a “novice” (in a new expert-to-novice context) or to another “peer” (in a new peer-to-peer context). Participants were, overall, more likely to transmit the variant learned from an expert, evidencing an effect of by prestige bias. Crucially, in support of our hypothesis, they were also more likely to transmit the variant they had learned in the congruent context. Parameter estimation computer simulations of the experiment revealed that congruence bias was stronger than prestige bias.
Eigenvalue based spectral classification
Authors: Borkowski Piotr , Kłopotek Mieczysław A. , Starosta Bartłomiej , Wierzchoń Sławomir T. , Sydow Marcin
Published: April 2023

This paper describes a new method of classification based on spectral analysis. The motivations behind developing the new model were the failures of the classical spectral cluster analysis based on combinatorial and normalized Laplacian for a set of real-world datasets of textual documents. Reasons of the failures are analysed. While the known methods are all based on usage of eigenvectors of graph Laplacians, a new classification method based on eigenvalues of graph Laplacians is proposed and studied.
Cisplatin-associated ototoxicity amongst cervical cancer patients: A prospective cohort study in south Africa
Authors: Paken Jessica , Govender Cyril Devadas , Pillay Mershen , Feyasa Merga , Sewram Vikash
Published: April 2023

Background

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy using weekly cisplatin remains standard of care for locally advanced cervical cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa. While cisplatin remains a popular cancer chemotherapeutic, it has an irreversible ototoxic effect on patients’ auditory system. However, there is a paucity of epidemiological information on its extent and severity during cervical cancer treatment. In a region with a high burden of cervical cancer, this has serious consequences for aural intervention and rehabilitation.

Methods and findings

Using a prospective cohort study design, 82 patients with incident cervical cancer, receiving weekly cisplatin chemotherapy (50 mg/m2body surface) at a tertiary level hospital in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, underwent audiological assessments at various intervals. We describe the temporal impact of cisplatin exposure on hearing loss, its combined effect with HIV-infection, and estimate ototoxicity incidence in this cohort. The median age was 52 years with Stages IIB (45%) and IIIB (35.4%) cancers being most common. Complaints of reduced hearing sensitivity increased significantly (p<0.0001). Bilateral, asymmetrical sensorineural hearing loss, with greater effect in the extended high-frequency range, was evident. Cisplatin dosage was significantly associated with ototoxicity severity at one- (p = 0.017), three- (p = 0.010), and six-month (p = 0.015) post-treatment follow-up. HIV-seropositivity (53.7%) was significantly associated with NCI-CTCAE Grading Scale at three- (p = 0.022) and six-months (p = 0.023) post-treatment. Multiple Tobit regression revealed a cumulative dose effect bilaterally, after adjustment for age and HIV status, evident from 9000Hz and above in the right ear, while a plateau effect was observed at 250mg/m2in the left ear. The incidence was ototoxicity was 98% at a cumulative dose of 150mg/m2.

Conclusion

The findings of this epidemiologic study highlight the temporal course and severity of ototoxicity experienced by cervical cancer patients treated with cisplatin, with greater impact in HIV-positive subgroup, thus underscores the need for audiological monitoring and timely interventions in this cohort.
Interaction and association analysis of malting related traits in barley
Authors: Iqbal Irfan , Desta Zeratsion Abera , Tripathi Rajiv Kumar , Beattie Aaron , Badea Ana , Singh Jaswinder
Published: April 2023

Barley is considered as a foundation of the brewing and malting industry. Varieties with superior malt quality traits are required for efficient brewing and distillation processes. Among these, the Diastatic Power (DP), wort-Viscosity (VIS), β-glucan content (BG), Malt Extract (ME) and Alpha-Amylase (AA) are controlled by several genes linked to numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL), identified for barley malting quality. One of the well-known QTL, QTL2, associated with barley malting trait present on chromosome 4H harbours a key gene, called as HvTLP8 that has been identified for influencing the barley malting quality through its interaction with β-glucan in a redox-dependent manner. In this study, we examined to develop a functional molecular marker for HvTLP8 in the selection of superior malting cultivars. We first examined the expression of HvTLP8 and HvTLP17 containing carbohydrate binding domains in barley malt and feed varieties. The higher expression of HvTLP8 prompted us to further investigate its role as a marker for malting trait. By exploring the 1000 bp downstream 3’ UTR region of HvTLP8, we found single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in between Steptoe (feed variety) and Morex (malt variety), which was further validated by Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (CAPS) marker assay. Analysis of 91 individuals from the Steptoe x Morex doubled haploid (DH) mapping population revealed CAPS polymorphism in HvTLP8. Highly significant (p<0.001) correlations among ME, AA and DP malting traits were observed. The correlation coefficient (r) between these traits ranged from 0.53 to 0.65. However, the polymorphism in HvTLP8 did not correlate effectively with ME, AA, and DP. Altogether, these findings will help us to further design the experiment regarding the HvTLP8 variation and its association with other desirable traits.
Peripheral nervous system involvement associated with COVID-19. A systematic review of literature
Authors: Hanganu Andreea-Raluca , Constantin Alexandru , Moise Elena-Sonia , Niculae Cristian-Mihail , Olaru Ioana Diana , Băicuș Cristian , Hristea Adriana
Published: April 2023

There is increasing evidence of both central and peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement in COVID-19. We conducted this systematic literature review to investigate the characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with PNS, including the types and severity of cranial nerves (CN) involvement. We systematically searched on PubMed for studies reporting adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and PNS involvement until July 2021. From 1670 records, 225 articles matched the inclusion criteria, with a total of 1320 neurological events, in 1004 patients. There were 805 (61%) CN, 350 (26.5%) PNS, and 165 (12.5%) PNS plus CN events. The most frequently involved CN were the facial, vestibulo-cochlear and olfactory nerve in 27.3%, 25.4% and 16.1%, respectively. Guillain-Barre syndrome spectrum was identified in 84.2% of PNS events. We analysed 328 patients reported in 225 articles with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN involvement. The patients with CN involvement were younger (mean age 46.2±17.1, p = .003), and were more frequently treated as outpatients (p < .001), mostly with glucocorticoids (p < .001). Patients that had PNS with or without CN involvement were more likely to be hospitalized (p < .001), and to receive intravenous immunoglobulins (p = .002) or plasma exchange (p = .002). Patients with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN had severe COVID -19 disease in 24.8%, 37.3%, 34.9% respectively. The most common neurological outcome was mild/moderate sequelae in patients with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN in 54.7%, 67.5% and 67.8% respectively (p = .1) and no significant difference was found between the three categories regarding death, disease severity, time from disease onset to neurological symptoms, lack of improvement and complete recovery. CN involvement was the most frequent PNS finding. All three categories of PNS involvement were rather associated to non-severe COVID-19 but it may be an important cause of hospitalization and post COVID-19 sequelae.
Overlapping communities detection through weighted graph community games
Authors: Benati Stefano , Puerto Justo , Rodríguez-Chía Antonio M. , Temprano Francisco
Published: April 2023

We propose a new model to detect the overlapping communities of a network that is based on cooperative games and mathematical programming. More specifically, communities are defined as stable coalitions of a weighted graph community game and they are revealed as the optimal solution of a mixed-integer linear programming problem. Exact optimal solutions are obtained for small and medium sized instances and it is shown that they provide useful information about the network structure, improving on previous contributions. Next, a heuristic algorithm is developed to solve the largest instances and used to compare two variations of the objective function.
A lightweight ship target detection model based on improved YOLOv5s algorithm
Authors: Zheng Yuanzhou , Zhang Yuanfeng , Qian Long , Zhang Xinzhu , Diao Shitong , Liu Xinyu , Cao Jingxin , Huang Haichao
Published: April 2023

Real-time and accurate detection of ships plays a vital role in ensuring navigation safety and ship supervision. Aiming at the problems of large parameters, large computation quantity, poor real-time performance, and high requirements for memory and computing power of the current ship detection model, this paper proposes a ship target detection algorithm MC-YOLOv5s based on YOLOv5s. First, the MobileNetV3-Small lightweight network is used to replace the original feature extraction backbone network of YOLOv5s to improve the detection speed of the algorithm. And then, a more efficient CNeB is designed based on the ConvNeXt-Block module of the ConvNeXt network to replace the original feature fusion module of YOLOv5s, which improves the spatial interaction ability of feature information and further reduces the complexity of the model. The experimental results obtained from the training and verification of the MC-YOLOv5s algorithm show that, compared with the original YOLOv5s algorithm, MC-YOLOv5s reduces the number of parameters by 6.98 MB and increases the mAP by about 3.4%. Even compared with other lightweight detection models, the improved model proposed in this paper still has better detection performance. The MC-YOLOv5s has been verified in the ship visual inspection and has great application potential. The code and models are publicly available at https://github.com/sakura994479727/datas.
The impact of child mortality on fertility in South Africa: Do child support grants and antiretroviral treatment matter?
Authors: Bidzha Mashudu Lucas , Johnson Leigh F. , Dorrington Rob E. , Ngepah Nicholas , Greyling Talita
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates the effect of under-five mortality, child support grant (CSG) coverage and the rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on fertility in South Africa. The study employs the quality-quantity trade-off framework to analyse the direct and indirect factors affecting fertility using the two stage least squares fixed effects instrumental variable approach. The analysis uses balanced panel data covering nine provinces from 2001–2016. This period was characterised by significant increases in the child support grant coverage and ART coverage. Furthermore, this period was characterised by a significant decline in the under-five mortality rate. We find no evidence to support the hypothesis that increases in the CSG coverage are associated with an increase in fertility. This finding aligns with previous literature suggesting that there are no perverse incentives for childbearing associated with the child support grant. On the other hand, results indicate that an increase in ART coverage is associated with an increase in fertility. Results also show that a decrease in under-five mortality is associated with a decline in fertility over the sample period. HIV prevalence, education, real GDP per capita, marriage prevalence and contraceptive prevalence are also important determinants of fertility in South Africa. Although the scale up of ART has improved health outcomes, it also appears to have increased fertility in HIV-positive women. The ART programme should therefore be linked with further family planning initiatives to minimise unintended pregnancies.
Parenclitic Network Mapping Identifies Response to Targeted Albumin Therapy in Patients Hospitalized With Decompensated Cirrhosis
Authors: Oyelade Tope , Forrest Ewan , Moore Kevin P. , O'Brien Alastair , Mani Ali R.
Published: April 2023

INTRODUCTION:

The efficacy of targeted albumin therapy in the management of decompensatory events in cirrhosis is unclear, with different reports showing conflicting results. It is possible that only certain subgroups of patients may benefit from targeted albumin administration. However, extensive conventional subgroup analyses have not yet identified these subgroups. Albumin is an important regulator of physiological networks and may interact with homeostatic mechanism differently in patients according to the integrity of their physiological network. In this study, we aimed to assess the value of network mapping in predicting response to targeted albumin therapy in patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS:

This is a substudy of the ATTIRE trial, a multicenter randomized trial conducted to assess the effect of targeted albumin therapy in cirrhosis. Baseline serum bilirubin, albumin, sodium, creatinine, CRP, white cell count (WCC), international normalized ratio, heart rate, and blood pressure of 777 patients followed up for 6 months were used for network mapping using parenclitic analysis. Parenclitic network analysis involves measuring the deviation of each patient from the existing network of physiological interactions in a reference population.

RESULTS:

Overall network connectivity and deviations along the WCC-CRP axis predicted 6-month survival independent of age and model for end-stage liver disease in the standard care arm. Patients with lower deviation along the WCC-CRP axis showed lower survival in response to targeted albumin administration over a 6-month follow-up period. Likewise, patients with higher overall physiological connectivity survived significantly less than the standard care group after targeted albumin infusion.

DISCUSSION:

The parenclitic network mapping can predict the survival of patients with cirrhosis and identify patient subgroups that do not benefit from targeted albumin therapy.