bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor as Potential Biomarker for COVID-19 Severity
Authors: Josuttis David , Schwedler Christian , Heymann Guido , Gümbel Denis , Schmittner Marc Dominik , Kruse Marianne , Hoppe Berthold
Published: July 2023

Introduction

COVID-19 is characterized by immunological responses to viral replication and coherent with endothelitis, microvascular disturbance of lung vasculature and coagulopathy. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a proangiogenic mediator regulating endothelial changes. It is induced by proinflammatory signaling and hypoxia. We sought to determine whether VEGF levels differ between SARS-CoV-2-positive patients of different disease severity and whether VEGF might be useful in risk stratification.

Methods

After retrospective screening of all SARS-CoV-2-positive patients treated in Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin in 2020, we included those with documented VEGF measurement. We extracted laboratory values and clinical parameters. An exploratory data analysis was performed to detect possible relations between VEGF level and clinical disease features.

Results

We included 167 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients of which 139 suffered from COVID-19. Seventy-one of the COVID-19 patients had to be treated in the intensive care unit (ICU), those patients exhibited higher VEGF levels than those being admitted to normal wards (535 vs 279 pg/L, P < .001). APACHE-2 (Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation Score) correlated with mortality and patients with high values showed higher VEGF concentrations on admission (456 vs 875 pg/L, p = 0.006). Receiver operating characteristic analytic revealed that the occurrence of organ dysfunctions like acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), shock, or acute kidney injury could be predicted by VEGF. It was significantly higher in patients who later died compared to survivors (637 vs 389 pg/mL, P = 0.041) and predicted mortality with same accuracy as established markers. In our cohort, association of VEGF above 277 pg/L on admission with risk of ARDS could be confirmed in logistic regression adjusting for possible confounding factors (odds ratio 3.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.34-7.7).

Discussion

Even though there are several limitations to this retrospective study it revealed that in COVID-19 patients VEGF can contribute to the prediction of necessity of ICU, mortality and the prediction of ARDS, kidney injury or shock. Its use in risk stratification and potential pathogenetic involvement should be further investigated.
Post-colonial Independence and Africa’s Corruption Conundrum: A Succinct South African Critique Post-democratisation
Authors: Mlambo Daniel N. , Mubecua Mandla A. , Mlambo Victor H.
Published: July 2023

The article examines Africa’s struggle with corruption in a post-colonial era with specific reference to South Africa. The article conceptualises the Afrocentric appraisal approach to reflect on the corruption challenges in post-colonial Africa. The article demonstrates that even though most African countries have adopted democratic systems of governance, nothing has changed, as the post-colonial leader has used the same tactics used by colonialism to maintain control, force, tyranny and oppression. Even though liberation movements in Africa were seen as heroes in the struggle for freedom, they, in turn, have become a burden to Africa’s development through increased corruption, breakdown in governance, political instability and the failure to consolidate a shared vision for Africa’s development. This observation has also been observed in South Africa. Narrowing this to South Africa, corruption has been a widespread phenomenon, predominantly post the democratic era. Over the years and until recently, the African National Congress-led government has been severely hindered by immense allegations of corruption among those top of the hierarchy. In the eyes of most academics, researchers and analysts, this has further hindered the need for inclusive development in a country faced with high numbers of escalating unemployment, inequality, poverty and crime. Driven by institutional theory, this article critically delves into corruption from an Afrocentric viewpoint, albeit focusing on South Africa’s post-democratic era.
Productivity and Exports: An Industry-Level Analysis of the Service Sector in India
Authors: Goswami Asmita , Narayanan K.
Published: July 2023

The large share of the service sector and its status as a net exporter raise concerns about the sustainability of such growth for a developing economy like India. Given the context, the present article attempts to examine the productivity dynamics of the service sector in India at the industry level. We use the India KLEMS dataset to identify the trends in total factor productivity (TFP) growth and the growth in factor inputs. By uniquely combining the India KLEMS dataset with the trade values in the Extended Balance of Payments Services classification, we examine the dynamics between TFP growth and exports of services using panel vector autoregression technique. The trends in factor inputs show that there is capital deepening within services and the growth in employment remained comparatively lower. The results indicate a feedback effect of exports and productivity growth within the service sector. Additionally, we note that the use of more skilled labour that is better equipped to handle new technology also contributes to growth in the service sector, both in terms of productivity and exports.
Isolated Paramedian cleft of Lower LIP: A Rare Entity
Authors: Ghorpade Srishti Shailesh , Shetty Pritham N. , Bonanthaya Krishnamurthy , Rao Dipesh
Published: July 2023

Objective: To present a rare case of an isolated paramedian cleft of the lower lip. We describe the second case of isolated paramedian cleft of the lower lip. The pregnancy was realized in the fifth month prior to which the mother gives history of consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (N.S.A.I.D.s) and a computed tomography (C.T.) scan. The cleft was repaired with a z-plasty for the mucosa and a z—plasty for the skin. We achieved good vermilion bulk, white roll continuity and functionality. We attributed this cleft to maternal exposure to NSAIDs and radiation during early pregnancy.
Maxillary Arch Dimensions in Children with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Receiving Alveolar Bone Grafting
Authors: van Stein Callenfels Dewi M.E. , Bos Annemieke , Jonkman Ronald E.G.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To analyse the maxillary arch dimensions of children aged 9 and 12 with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) who received orthodontic treatment and secondary alveolar bone grafting.

Design

This retrospective cohort study was performed on 30 patients with UCLP.

Setting

All patients were treated at the Cleft Lip and Palate Centre, which is part of the University Medical Centre Amsterdam and Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Patients/Participants

Children with non-syndromic UCLP who received pre- and postsurgical orthodontics combined with secondary alveolar bone grafting between the ages of 9 and 12 years were included.

Main Outcome Measures

Maxillary arch dimensions were assessed on 60 digitised dental casts with measurements of the intermolar widths, interpremolar widths, arch perimeters, arch lengths, arch widths, and palatal depths.

Results

The results of a paired-samples t-test revealed a statistically significant increase ( P < .05) in intermolar width 1, intermolar width 3, interpremolar width 1, arch perimeter, and arch width between the ages of 9 (T0) and 12 (T1). Intermolar width 2 and the palatal depth decreased statistically significantly between T0 and T1.

Conclusions

Analysis of maxillary arch dimensions of children with UCLP indicates significant changes between 9 and 12 years of age. This suggests that orthodontic treatment and secondary alveolar bone grafting can be effective in improving maxillary arch dimensions. However, there is a need for collaborative research and data collection in order to provide sensible and evidence-based care to patients with cleft lip and palate.
Treatment with Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Inhibitors (PCSK9i): Current Evidence for Expanding the Paradigm?
Authors: Giglio Rosaria Vincenza , Muzurović Emir M. , Patti Angelo Maria , Toth Peter P. , Agarwal Manyoo A. , Almahmeed Wael , Klisic Aleksandra , Ciaccio Marcello , Rizzo Manfredi
Published: July 2023

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) are low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering drugs that play a critical role in lipoprotein clearance and metabolism. PCSK9i are used in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and for the secondary prevention of acute cardiovascular events in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: We focused on the literature from 2015, the year of approval of the PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies, to the present on the use of PCSK9i not only in the lipid field but also by evaluating their effects on metabolic factors. Results: PCSK9 inhibits cholesterol efflux from macrophages and contributes to the formation of macrophage foam cells. PCSK9 has the ability to bind to Toll-like receptors, thus mediating the inflammatory response and binding to scavenger receptor B/cluster of differentiation 36. PCSK9i lower the entire spectrum of apolipoprotein B-100 containing lipoproteins (LDL, very LDLs, intermediate-density lipoproteins, and lipoprotein[a]) in high CVD-risk patients. Moreover, PCSK9 inhibitors are neutral on risk for new-onset diabetes mellitus and might have a beneficial impact on the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by improving lipid and inflammatory biomarker profiles, steatosis biomarkers such as the triglyceride-glucose index, and hepatic steatosis index, although there are no comprehensive studies with long-term follow-up studies. Conclusion: The discovery of PCSK9i has opened a new era in therapeutic management in patients with hypercholesterolemia and high cardiovascular risk. Increasingly, there has been mounting scientific and clinical evidence supporting the safety and tolerability of PCSK9i.
The effects of age-related macular degeneration on work productivity: A meta-analysis
Authors: Tran Edward , Nayeni Manav , Shah Nirmit , Malvankar-Mehta Monali S
Published: July 2023

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness in older adults. Given the aging population in developed countries and the increased participation of older adults in the labour market, this paper aims to understand the impact of AMD on workplace productivity. Economic studies, comparative studies, observational studies, cohort studies, case series, randomized control trials, clinical trials, multicenter studies from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINHAL, as well as grey literature, were systematically searched to obtain all relevant literature. Duplicate records were removed, and two independent reviewers screened records for relevance. After screening, a risk of bias assessment was carried out. Data were extracted and a meta-analysis was performed using STATA 15.0. Fixed-effect and random-effect models were computed based on heterogeneity. Seven studies consisting of 3,060,864 subjects from 5 different countries were included in this systematic review. Mean wages lost due to impaired work productivity ranged from $1,395 to $55,180. The mean unemployment rate attributed to AMD ranged from 5.50% to 77.00%. Meta-analysis results indicated a significant unemployment rate (SMD = 0.44, CI: [0.27, 0.62]). Patients with AMD experience impaired work productivity as demonstrated by the wages lost and significantly higher rates of unemployment.
Spaces of Anti-Ableist, Feminist Resistance
Authors: Murillo Lafuente Iblin Edelweiss
Published: July 2023

This article describes how Las FemiDiskas, an anti-ableist, feminist social movement organization, develops virtual engagement strategies to resist ableist and sexist violence experienced in individual homes and public spaces. How do women with disabilities organize against patriarchal violence in private and public spaces during pandemic times in the global south? I explore this question through ethnographic participative audiovisual methods. As a transnational feminist and member of Las FemiDiskas, I use participatory observations to identify how members of this collective are raising awareness of violence inflicted against women with disabilities in Bolivia. The spaces of resistance created by Las FemiDiskas are made through transnational networks of feminist solidarities. The transformation of private spaces is affected as much as online spaces and public ones. The COVID-19 crisis pushed for the creation of a safe space to discuss and create a collective voice for women with disabilities. Online activism has opened a door to new inclusive spaces, where location is not an obstacle to collectively organizing, as long as there is internet accessibility. The creation of these new virtual spaces transforms existing material spaces and shapes the collective identity of women with disabilities and challenges and reconstructs notions of disability and gender. Exploring how digital and remote activism is deployed by women with disabilities and allies shines a light on future, kinder, non-discriminatory, and transnational practices within social movements.
The dynamics of informal institutions and counter-hegemony: introducing a BRICS Convergence Index
Authors: Papa Mihaela , Han Zhen , O’Donnell Frank
Published: July 2023

Informal institutions are important platforms for renegotiating global governance, but there is disagreement on how they operate and challenge the United States (US). Realists view some informal institutions like Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) as counter-hegemonic entities, while rational institutionalists focus on their structure and performance in specific areas. However, neither approach explains the internal dynamics that make these institutions robust and potentially counter-hegemonic. To fill this gap, we first develop a new convergence approach for analysing informal institutional dynamics, and then we apply this approach to examine BRICS robustness and BRICS–US relations. Our BRICS Convergence Index measures policy convergence of the BRICS states using a novel data set of BRICS cooperation on 47 policy issues between 2009 and 2021. Using data on US policy preferences on the same issues, we also identify the key sites of BRICS–US contestation. We find an overall increase in BRICS policy convergence and limited divergence from US preferences across a wide range of policy issues. However, since BRICS has engaged with more security issues after 2015 and substantively deepened its cooperation, its capability to counter US influence has grown. Our convergence-focused analysis of informal institutions embraces members’ agency and pathways for institution building, while identifying the issues that bind rival countries. As such, it helps explain how informal institutions gain robustness and provides empirical insights into the rise of new powers and global governance reform efforts.
Significance Assessment as Citizen Science: A Collaborative Methodology for Developing the Significance of Our Collections?
Authors: Jensen Susanne Krogh , Hansen Meta Lier , Andersen Funder Lærke Maria
Published: July 2023

Over the last few decades, the concepts of significance, contextuality and polysemy in museum collections have been repeatedly discussed within the international museum field. In this article, we develop and discuss a methodology for operationalizing these concepts in practical collection work. By collaborating with different communities in assigning meaning to collections, we combine the significance assessment of museum collections with citizen science. Through a number of experiments, we explore collaborations between museums and different communities and find that significance assessment as citizen science adds new perspectives to and creates co-ownership of museum collections and thereby democratizes the museums as public institutions.
On The Making of White American Identity: Ron Eyerman and Eric Taylor Woods in Conversation
Authors: Eyerman Ron , Woods Eric Taylor
Published: July 2023

In this article, Eric Taylor Woods asks Ron Eyerman about the motivations, methods, and ideas that informed the writing of his recent book, The Making of White American Identity (2022). The conversation focuses particularly on the significance of racism, the Civil War, and popular culture in the founding and sustaining of white American identity as a mobilizing force in American politics. Along the way, Woods and Eyerman discuss the comparability of white American identity with other collective identities, including Northern Irish Unionism; Serbian Identity; and Afrikaner Identity. The aim of printing this conversation is to provoke further research and debate on the cultural sociology of white American identity.
State-of-art review of current malleable penile prosthesis devices in the commercial market
Authors: Chung Eric , Wang Juan
Published: July 2023

The malleable penile implant is often considered an inferior device to the three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis implant. Nonetheless, the malleable prosthesis has its unique advantages such as lower cost, easier to perform and fewer mechanical complications than inflatable prostheses. Furthermore, its role can be extended to patients with issues relating to poor manual hand dexterity, those undergoing a salvage for infection prosthesis and as an emergency surgical measure in patients presenting with acute ischaemic priapism. Over the past few decades, there have been numerous design and technological advancements to improve overall clinical efficacy, mechanical durability, axial rigidity and device concealability of malleable penile prostheses. The following article provides a narrative review of the six major contemporary malleable penile prosthesis devices in the commercial market, namely, the Coloplast Genesis prosthesis, the Boston Scientific Tactra prosthesis, the Zephyr ZSI 100 and 100 (female-to-male) FTM devices, the Rigi10 prosthesis, the TUBE malleable prosthesis and the Shah prosthesis and evaluates the published outcomes. Appropriate patient selection and strict counselling regarding what to expect with malleable prostheses coupled with adherence to safe surgical principles are paramount to ensure excellent clinical success and patient satisfaction rates.
A political autopsy of Liberal Los Angeles
Authors: Roy Ananya
Published: July 2023

In this tribute to Mike Davis, I engage with his concept of the “slum” to analyze the present conjuncture of the First World slum, notably mass homelessness in Los Angeles. While Davis honed his attention on global neoliberalism, I draw upon his incisive LA essays to uncover the violence of liberal governance, specifically what he calls “community capitalism.” Drawing on my work with insurgent research collectives, I argue that the LA intifada is alive and well in the marginalized spaces of the city where community defenders repeatedly assert collective power in the face of social death.
Unveiling the Significance and Challenges of Integrating Prevention Levels in Healthcare Practice
Authors: AbdulRaheem Yousif
Published: July 2023

In recent years, there has been a global increase in human life expectancy, but preventable morbidity and mortality remain significant concerns. To address these issues, preventive healthcare practice has gained importance in various healthcare disciplines. Its goal is to maintain and promote health, reduce risk factors, diagnose illnesses early, and prevent complications. This approach encompasses different stages of disease progression, including primordial prevention, primary prevention, secondary prevention, tertiary prevention, and quaternary prevention. Primordial prevention focuses on addressing root causes and social determinants of diseases to prevent the emergence and development of risk factors. Primary prevention aims to prevent diseases before they occur by implementing interventions such as vaccinations and health education. Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and prompt intervention to prevent the progression of diseases. Tertiary prevention manages the consequences of diseases by restoring health and providing rehabilitation. Lastly, quaternary prevention aims to protect patients from unnecessary medical interventions and harm caused by excessive medicalization. Despite the recognition of the cost-effectiveness of preventive measures, a significant portion of healthcare resources and attention is still allocated to disease management, and only a small percentage of individuals receive all recommended preventive services. Healthcare providers need to prioritize the implementation of preventive care services, even when clinical interventions are necessary, and overcome barriers to preventive care. By investing in preventive care and implementing these strategies, healthcare practitioners can play a crucial role in disease prevention and contribute to the well-being of individuals, families, communities, and countries.
Exploring transterranean activism as a research site beyond local protest sites
Authors: Sydiq Tareq
Published: July 2023

Increased interest in the spatial dimension of protests and activism has led to both the material spatial condition of protest activities and their spatial effect entering academic debate. With Social Movements being a dominant paradigm for activism which focuses on strategic localization and scalar tactics, an emphasis has been put on political activities in proximity to either centralized power or to actor communities and networks. On the fringes of Social Movements, however, smaller types of direct action have been emerging in places outside of conventional, landed spaces. Chinese and Japanese nationalists symbolically contesting national authority over islands in the Pacific, Environmentalists blockading oil platforms in the North Sea, refugee rights groups preventing air-based deportations and nationalists attempting to prevent human rights groups from saving drowning migrants have in common that the site of their activities are beyond the traditional power base of the state on solid ground and make use of specific sets of laws and regulations. This paper argues that transterranean spaces encompass an interplay of state and non-state actors heavily impacted by their location. As these spaces exist beyond the mainland, they share a lack of presence of both state and society. Both state agencies and activists have to adapt their strategies during successive contentions. I conceptualize this relationship as contentious configurations shaping these interactions: Vertical Activist-State, horizontal activist-activist and interconnected state-state contentious configurations. They serve as heuristic tool to analyze protest dynamics in transterranean spaces by highlighting both state power and actor’s engagement with it. With technological advancements and increased access to transterranean, such contentions are likely to increase.
Germ line variants in patients with acute myeloid leukemia without a suspicion of hereditary hematologic malignancy syndrome
Authors: Guijarro Francesca , López-Guerra Monica , Morata Jordi , Bataller Alex , Paz Sara , Cornet-Masana Josep Maria , Banús-Mulet Antònia , Cuesta-Casanovas Laia , Carbó Josep Maria , Castaño-Díez Sandra , Jiménez-Vicente Carlos , Cortés-Bullich Albert , Triguero Ana , Martínez-Roca Alexandra , Esteban Daniel , Gómez-Hernando Marta , Álamo Moreno José Ramón , López-Oreja Irene , Garrote Marta , Risueño Ruth M. , Tonda Raúl , Gut Ivo , Colomer Dolors , Díaz-Beya Marina , Esteve Jordi
Published: July 2023

Germ line predisposition in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has gained attention in recent years because of a nonnegligible frequency and an impact on management of patients and their relatives. Risk alleles for AML development may be present in patients without a clinical suspicion of hereditary hematologic malignancy syndrome. In this study we investigated the presence of germ line variants (GVs) in 288 genes related to cancer predisposition in 47 patients with available paired, tumor-normal material, namely bone marrow stroma cells (n = 29), postremission bone marrow (n = 17), and saliva (n = 1). These patients correspond to 2 broad AML categories with heterogeneous genetic background (AML myelodysplasia related and AML defined by differentiation) and none of them had phenotypic abnormalities, previous history of cytopenia, or strong cancer aggregation. We found 11 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants, 6 affecting genes related to autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndromes (ATM, DDX41, and CHEK2) and 5 related to autosomal recessive bone marrow failure syndromes (FANCA, FANCM, SBDS, DNAJC21, and CSF3R). We did not find differences in clinical characteristics nor outcome between carriers of GVs vs noncarriers. Further studies in unselected AML cohorts are needed to determine GV incidence and penetrance and, in particular, to clarify the role of ATM nonsense mutations in AML predisposition.
Nonrestrictive diet does not increase infections during post-HSCT neutropenia: data from a multicenter randomized trial
Authors: Stella Federico , Marasco Vincenzo , Levati Giorgia Virginia , Guidetti Anna , De Filippo Annamaria , Pennisi Martina , Vismara Cecilia , Miceli Rosalba , Ljevar Silva , Tecchio Cristina , Mordini Nicola , Gobbi Giorgia , Saracino Lucia , Corradini Paolo
Published: July 2023

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality during neutropenia after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The use of a low-microbial protective diet (PD) in the peritransplantation period is a standard of care, although its efficacy has never been tested prospectively. We conducted a multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial, enrolling all consecutive adult patients undergoing high-dose induction chemotherapy or HSCT with the objective to compare nonrestrictive diet (NRD) vs PD. Overall, 222 patients were enrolled, randomly assigned, and analyzed. One hundred seventy-five subjects (79%) received autologous HSCT (auto-HSCT), 41 (18%) received allogeneic HSCT (allo-HSCT), and 6 (3%) patients received high-dose induction chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in terms of incidence of grade ≥2 infections and death during neutropenia in the 2 arms. In multivariable analysis, only multiple myeloma diagnosis, fluoroquinolone prophylaxis, and the absence of mucositis were associated with a lower incidence of grade ≥2 infections. We did not report any significant variation in terms of hospitalization length, incidence of mucositis and gastrointestinal infections, body weight, and serum albumin variations in the 2 arms. In allo-HSCT recipients, the incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease grade ≥3 was similar. NRD was associated with higher patient-reported satisfaction. In conclusion, NRD is not inferior to a traditional PD during neutropenia after HSCT, and our results demonstrated that implementing a restrictive diet unnecessary burdens patients' quality of life. The clinical trial was registered prospectively in the clinical trial registry of the Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori of Milan as INT54/16.
MTG-Link: leveraging barcode information from linked-reads to assemble specific loci
Authors: Guichard Anne , Legeai Fabrice , Tagu Denis , Lemaitre Claire
Published: July 2023

Background

Local assembly with short and long reads has proven to be very useful in many applications: reconstruction of the sequence of a locus of interest, gap-filling in draft assemblies, as well as alternative allele reconstruction of large Structural Variants. Whereas linked-read technologies have a great potential to assemble specific loci as they provide long-range information while maintaining the power and accuracy of short-read sequencing, there is a lack of local assembly tools for linked-read data.

Results

We present MTG-Link, a novel local assembly tool dedicated to linked-reads. The originality of the method lies in its read subsampling step which takes advantage of the barcode information contained in linked-reads mapped in flanking regions. We validated our approach on several datasets from different linked-read technologies. We show that MTG-Link is able to assemble successfully large sequences, up to dozens of Kb. We also demonstrate that the read subsampling step of MTG-Link considerably improves the local assembly of specific loci compared to other existing short-read local assembly tools. Furthermore, MTG-Link was able to fully characterize large insertion variants and deletion breakpoints in a human genome and to reconstruct dark regions in clinically-relevant human genes. It also improved the contiguity of a 1.3 Mb locus of biological interest in several individual genomes of the mimetic butterfly Heliconius numata.

Conclusions

MTG-Link is an efficient local assembly tool designed for different linked-read sequencing technologies. MTG-Link source code is available at https://github.com/anne-gcd/MTG-Link and as a Bioconda package.
Chimeras in Merlot grapevine revealed by phased assembly
Authors: Sichel V. , Sarah G. , Girollet N. , Laucou V. , Roux C. , Roques M. , Mournet P. , Cunff L. Le , Bert P.F. , This P. , Lacombe T.
Published: July 2023

Chimerism is the phenomenon when several genotypes coexist in a single individual. Used to understand plant ontogenesis they also have been valorised through new cultivar breeding. Viticulture has been taking economic advantage out of chimeras when the variant induced an important modification of wine type such as berry skin colour. Crucial agronomic characters may also be impacted by chimeras that aren’t identified yet. Periclinal chimera where the variant has entirely colonised a cell layer is the most stable and can be propagated through cuttings. In grapevine, leaves are derived from both meristem layers, L1 and L2. However, lateral roots are formed from the L2 cell layer only. Thus, comparing DNA sequences of roots and leaves allows chimera detection. In this study we used new generation Hifi long reads sequencing, recent bioinformatics tools and trio-binning with parental sequences to detect periclinal chimeras on ‘Merlot’ grapevine cultivar. Sequencing of cv. ‘Magdeleine Noire des Charentes’ and ‘Cabernet Franc’, the parents of cv. ‘Merlot’, allowed haplotype resolved assembly. Pseudomolecules were built with a total of 33 to 47 contigs and in few occasions a unique contig for one chromosome. This high resolution allowed haplotype comparison. Annotation was transferred from PN40024 VCost.v3 to all pseudomolecules. After strong selection of variants, 51 and 53 ‘Merlot’ specific periclinal chimeras were found on the Merlot-haplotype-CF and Merlot-haplotype-MG respectively, 9 and 7 been located in a coding region. A subset of positions was analysed using Molecular Inversion Probes (MIPseq) and 69% were unambiguously validated, 25% are doubtful because of technological noise or weak depth and 6% invalidated. These results open new perspectives on chimera detection as an important resource to improve cultivars through clonal selection or breeding.
Shocked to death: a case report of cardiogenic shock and death following electrocardioversion for atrial fibrillation
Authors: Hashem Anas Mohamad , Al Ali Omar , Khalouf Amani , Shehadah Ahmed , Mohammed Moghniuddin , Mahmoud Amir , Laguio-Vila Maryrose , Rao Mohan
Published: July 2023

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is prevalent, especially in patients with heart failure. Their prevalence increases with age and both conditions are interrelated. Electrocardioversion (ECV) is considered a safe and effective procedure and is among one of the recommended therapies to terminate AF back to normal sinus rhythm. Our study highlights one of the rare complications following ECV.

Case summary

A 71-year-old female with a history of atrial fibrillation underwent electrocardioversion and developed sudden onset of ventricular stunning resulting in refractory cardiogenic shock. She was treated with mechanical cardiac support including IABP and Impella. Both provided minimal support then rapid clinical deterioration happened leading to imminent death.

Conclusion

Patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure treated with electrocardioversion might develop refractory cardiogenic shock and death as a complication of this procedure.
Frequency and impact of medication reviews for people aged 65 years or above in UK primary care: an observational study using electronic health records
Authors: Joseph Rebecca M. , Knaggs Roger D. , Coupland Carol A. C. , Taylor Amelia , Vinogradova Yana , Butler Debbie , Gerrard Louisa , Waldram David , Iyen Barbara , Akyea Ralph K. , Ashcroft Darren M. , Avery Anthony J. , Jack Ruth H.
Published: July 2023

Background

Medication reviews in primary care provide an opportunity to review and discuss the safety and appropriateness of a person’s medicines. However, there is limited evidence about access to and the impact of routine medication reviews for older adults in the general population, particularly in the UK. We aimed to quantify the proportion of people aged 65 years and over with a medication review recorded in 2019 and describe changes in the numbers and types of medicines prescribed following a review.

Methods

We used anonymised primary care electronic health records from the UK’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD GOLD) to define a population of people aged 65 years or over in 2019. We counted people with a medication review record in 2019 and used Cox regression to estimate associations between demographic characteristics, diagnoses, and prescribed medicines and having a medication review. We used linear regression to compare the number of medicines prescribed as repeat prescriptions in the three months before and after a medication review. Specifically, we compared the ‘prescription count’ - the maximum number of different medicines with overlapping prescriptions people had in each period.

Results

Of 591,726 people prescribed one or more medicines at baseline, 305,526 (51.6%) had a recorded medication review in 2019. Living in a care home (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval 1.40-1.62), medication review in the previous year (1.83, 1.69-1.98), and baseline prescription count (e.g. 5-9 vs 1 medicine 1.41, 1.37-1.46) were strongly associated with having a medication review in 2019. Overall, the prescription count tended to increase after a review (mean change 0.13 medicines, 95% CI 0.12-0.14).

Conclusions

Although medication reviews were commonly recorded for people aged 65 years or over, there was little change overall in the numbers and types of medicines prescribed following a review. This study did not examine whether the prescriptions were appropriate or other metrics, such as dose or medicine changes within the same class. However, by examining the impact of medication reviews before the introduction of structured medication review requirements in England in 2020, it provides a useful benchmark which these new reviews can be compared with.
The impact of partner’s behaviour on pregnancy related outcomes and safe child-birth in Pakistan
Authors: Atif Muhammad , Farooq Muhammad , Shafiq Muhammad , Ayub Gohar , Ilyas Muhammad
Published: July 2023

Background

Pakistan is one of the nations with the worst statistics for pregnancy-related outcomes. Health programmes in underdeveloped nations frequently ignore the role of partners in maternal health, which is a crucial contributing factor in these worst situations. This research study aims to explore the role of husbands in maternity care and safe childbirth in Pakistan.

Methods

The data for this study comes from the Pakistan Maternal Mortality Survey 2019. The k-Modes clustering algorithm was implemented to generate clusters from the dataset. Cluster profiling was used to identify the problems in pregnancy-related outcomes in cases where women live away from their partners. The chi-square test and logistic regression model were fitted to identify the significant factors associated with women’s health and safe childbirth.

Results

The finding of the study reveals that the partner’s support during and after pregnancy plays a vital role in maternal health and safe child-birth. It was revealed that the women living away from their partners have certain health problems during pregnancy. These problems include Vaginal bleeding, Excessive vomiting, Chest pain, Cough, High B.P, Excessive weight gain, Body aches, Swelling of feet, and Swelling of the face. This also leads to complications and health problems in the postpartum period. Due to a lack of antenatal care from the spouse during pregnancy, the women who lived away from their partners lost their pregnancies.

Conclusion

The study concludes that the husband’s emotional and financial support substantially impacts the overall health of expecting mothers and the safety of delivery in Pakistan. Given its potential advantages for mother and child health outcomes, male engagement in health education must be acknowledged and addressed. The finding of the study is of immense importance, as it guides the policymakers to arrange various awareness programs for the male partners to support their pregnant spouse and provide proper antenatal care.
Risk factors for postoperative recurrence in patients with stage II colorectal cancer
Authors: Xiong Zhi-Zhong , Xie Ming-Hao , Li Xian-Zhe , Jin Long-Yang , Zhang Feng-Xiang , Yin Shi , Chen Hua-Xian , Lian Lei
Published: July 2023

Background

Recurrences are the main reasons for unfavorable outcomes for patients with stage II colorectal cancer (CRC). To obtain a clear understanding of the high-risk factors, further investigation is warranted. The present study aimed to analyze the risk factors associated with postoperative recurrence in patients with stage II CRC.

Methods

Eligible patients with pathologically confirmed stage II CRC were enrolled in the study retrospectively based on a prospectively maintained database from April 2008 to March 2019. The Kaplan–Meier method were used to calculate the overall survival (OS) rate and the cumulative recurrence rate. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for recurrence.

Results

There were 2515 patients included, of whom 233 (9.3%) developed local or distant recurrence. Recurrence was associated with a significantly worse 5-year OS (45.4% vs. 95.5%, p < 0.0001). The 5-year cumulative recurrence rate was 13.0% in patients with stage II CRC. On multivariable Cox analysis, tumor size (Hazard Ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.79[1.38, 2.33]), preoperative carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 level (HR [95% CI] = 1.78[1.17, 2.70]), preoperative CA 199 level (HR [95% CI] = 1.56[1.09, 2.22]), and ulcerating tumor (HR [95% CI] = 1.61[1.19, 2.17]) were found to be associated with postoperative recurrence. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a lower cumulative recurrence rate in patients with these risk factors (p = 0.00096).

Conclusion

The tumor diameter, preoperative CA125 level, preoperative CA199 level, and an ulcerative tumor can predict postoperative recurrence in patients with stage II CRC, and postoperative chemotherapy could reduce the cumulative recurrence rate in patients with these high-risk factors.
The effect of topical ketorolac tromethamine on macular thickening after phacoemulsification in diabetic patients
Authors: Mohammad-Rabei Hossein , Sabbaghi Hamideh , Emamverdi Mehdi , Karimi Saeed , Ramezani Alireza , Nikkhah Homayoun , Kheiri Bahareh , Yaseri Mehdi , Sheibani Kourosh , Bahreini Razieh
Published: July 2023

Background

To determine the effect of ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% in preventing post-phacoemulsification macular thickening. This randomized clinical trial. patients randomized 1:1 to receive either topical ketorolac three times a day or a placebo.

Methods

A total of 101 eyes of 101 diabetic patients who were scheduled for phacoemulsification and had normal macular contour and thickness enrolled consecutively. The topical ketorolac and placebo were prescribed on the day before surgery and continued up to 4 weeks after surgery. Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, a history of intravitreal injection in less than three months, a history of macular photocoagulation in less than 6 months, and any other concomitant ocular pathologies were excluded. Central macular thickness (CMT) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was recorded in the follow-ups of 6, 12, and 24 weeks after the surgery and compared with the controls.

Results

49 eyes in the case group and 52 eyes in the control group were analyzed. Mean BCVA was significantly improved in both groups at all follow-ups (P < 0.001 for all). There was no statistically significant difference regarding the BCVA in different time points except week 12 (P = 0.028) among the study group. In the case and control groups, CMT was increased at all follow-ups (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference when comparing the two groups regarding the mean of CMT at any time point postoperatively (P > 0.05 for all).

Conclusion

Based on our findings, topical ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% is not effective in the prevention of post-phacoemulsification macular thickening in diabetic patients.

Trail registration

The study protocol was registered into www.clinicaltrial.gov with the RCT registration number NCT03551808. (2018/06/11 )

Clinical trial registration number

NCT03551808.
Relationship between animal health and livestock farmers’ wellbeing in Ghana: beyond zoonoses
Authors: Nuvey Francis Sena , Haydon Daniel T. , Hattendorf Jan , Addo Kennedy Kwasi , Mensah Gloria Ivy , Fink Günther , Zinsstag Jakob , Bonfoh Bassirou
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Livestock production is a key livelihood source for many people in developing countries. Poor control of livestock diseases hamper livestock productivity, threatening farmers’ wellbeing and food security. This study estimates the effect of livestock mortalities attributable to disease on the wellbeing of livestock farmers.

Methods

Overall, 350 ruminant livestock farmers were randomly selected from three districts located in the north, middle and southern belts of Ghana. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to estimate the relationship between animal health and farmer wellbeing. Farmer wellbeing was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF tool, as the mean quality-of-life in four domains (physical, psychological, social, and environmental). Animal health was assessed as annual livestock mortalities to diseases adjusted for herd size, and standardized in tropical livestock units to account for different ruminant livestock species. We adjusted for the potential confounding effect of farmers’ age, sex, educational attainment, farmland size, socio-economic status, perception of disease risk to herd, satisfaction with health, previous experience of disease outbreaks in herds, and social support availability by including these as fixed effects, and community as random effects, in a pre-specified model.

Results

Our results showed that farmers had a median score of 65.5 out of 100 (IQR: 56.6 to 73.2) on the wellbeing scale. The farmers’ reported on average (median) 10% (IQR: 0 to 23) annual herd mortalities to diseases. There was a significantly negative relationship between increasing level of animal disease-induced mortality in herds and farmers’ wellbeing. Specifically, our model predicted an expected difference in farmers’ wellbeing score of 7.9 (95%CI 1.50 to 14.39) between a farmer without any herd mortalities to diseases compared to a (hypothetical) farmer with 100% of herd mortalities caused by diseases in a farming year. Thus, there is a reduction of approximately 0.8 wellbeing points of farmers, for the average of 10% disease-induced herd mortalities experienced.

Conclusions

Disease-induced livestock mortalities have a significant negative effect on farmers’ wellbeing, particularly in the physical and psychological domains. This suggests that veterinary service policies addressing disease risks in livestock, could contribute to improving the wellbeing of livestock dependent populations, and public food security.
Efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure on NT-pro-BNP in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wu Qinqin , Ma Xiaojun , Wang Yanyan , Jin Jianfeng , Li Jia , Guo Shuming
Published: July 2023

Background

N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and BNP are well-known markers for the diagnosis and prognostic of heart failure. Until now, it was not clear whether BNP levels are influenced by events occurring within Obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

Methods

A thorough search in PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases up to October 24, 2022, and a meta-analysis aimed to explore further accurate estimates of the effects of BNP on OSAHS after CPAP treatment to assess the strength of the evidence.

Results

The forest plot outcome indicated that CPAP therapy did not change the BNP level in patients with OSAHS, with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of -0.47 (95% CI: -1.67 to 2.62; P = 0.53] based on the random effect model because of high significant heterogeneity (I2 = 80%) among the studies. Subgroup analysis also explored the changes in BNP levels in patients with OSAHS. Begg’s test (P = 0.835) and Egger’s test (P = 0.245) suggested significant negative publication bias.

Conclusion

Our meta-analysis suggests that CPAP therapy does not change the BNP level in patients with OSAHS; therefore, it is not accurate to use BNP level as an index to evaluate heart function in patients with OSAHS, but more related research should be conducted.
Perioperative risk factors related to complications of lumbar spine fusion surgery in elderly patients
Authors: Liu Chenjun , Guo Chen , Meng Fanqi , Zhu Zhenqi , Xia Weiwei , Liu Haiying
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To analyze the perioperative risk factors related to lumbar spine fusion surgery in elderly patients.

Methods

202 elderly patients (age range 77–92 years old) who have underwent lumbar spinal fusion surgeries between January 2019 and June 2021 were retrospectively investigated. Information of age, sex, comorbidity, fixation segments, operation time, surgical blood loss and perioperative complications during hospitalization were collected. Risk factors for complications were analyzed. Student’s t-test, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U‑test and multivariate generalized linear models were used.

Results

In this study, 31 patients presented complications (15.3%) in these elderly patients with an average age of 79.1 years, including 1 patient with intraoperative complication and 30 patients with postoperative complications; and 2 out of 31 patients (1%) died. The elderly patients were divided into group A (24 patients) with major postoperative complications and group B (178 patients) without major postoperative complications. Major postoperative complications were significantly associated with age (univariate analysis, t = 3.92, P < 0.001; multivariate analysis, OR = 1.323, 95%CI 1.126–1.554, P = 0.001), but not significantly associated with other factors tested (sex, comorbidity, fixation segments, operation time, surgical blood loss). Then 173 patients (range 77–81 years) were selected and the rate of major postoperative complications of each age from 78 to 81 years was compared with that of 77 years patients, respectively. We found that the ratios of complications at 80 years (OR = 10.000, P = 0.019) and 81 years (OR = 10.000, P = 0.009) were higher than the ratio at 77 years.

Conclusions

Although with great progress of medical technology, increasing age was still the independent risk factor for major postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery. As for the incidence of major postoperative complications, 80 and 81 years old patients was 10 folds higher than that of 77 years old patients, reminding us to pay more attention to 80 years old and even older patients.