bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aspectos bioéticos relacionados aos cuidados de fim de vida
Authors: Zanlorenzi Amanda Cristina , Rodrigues da Silva Utida Adriana , Corradi Perini Carla
Published: July 2023

Esta é uma revisão integrativa da literatura que tem como objetivo ressaltar e discutir os aspectos bioéticos relacionados com a atenção ao paciente no final da vida no contexto brasileiro. Em específico, pretende-se identificar as circunstâncias relacionadas com esses aspectos bioéticos, bem como seus fatores desencadeantes. Foram selecionadas publicações de autores brasileiros, publicadas entre 2014 e 2020. A busca foi realizada em outubro de 2020, por meio das bases de dados eletrônicas PubMed e SciELO. Dos 231 artigos encontrados, 24 foram selecionados. Da análise temática, surgiram duas categorias que compreendem os aspectos bioéticos: “(não) morrer com dignidade” e “obstinação e futilidade terapêuticas”. Foram identificados seis circunstâncias relacionadas com esses aspectos bioéticos e 15 fatores desencadeantes. Os aspectos foram associados principalmente à não aceitação da morte, às falhas na formação acadêmica dos profissionais de saúde e ao insuficiente conhecimento sobre os conceitos e práticas em cuidados paliativos. Portanto, integrar o ensino da bioética na formação e na prática profissionais se torna fundamental para o cuidado dos pacientes no final da vida.
Análisis de los formatos de consentimiento informado en los establecimientos de salud
Authors: Ángeles Fuentes José Luis , Placencia Medina Maritza Dorila , Fuentes Delgado Duilio Jesús
Published: July 2023

En la actividad asistencial desarrollada por los profesionales de la salud, el consentimiento informado (CI) instrumentaliza la aquiescencia otorgada por el paciente respecto al procedimiento y/o intervención quirúrgica. Existe una regulación dispersa en el ordenamiento legal peruano en relación con el CI. En el ámbito del sistema interamericano se resuelven precedentes importantes que establecen el contenido mínimo que se debe informar al paciente previo al consentimiento. Se evalúo el cumplimiento de 22 elementos necesarios y nueve deseables en los formatos de CI, en atención al ordenamiento normativo vigente y a lo previsto a nivel supranacional por la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (Corte IDH). Dichas categorías fueron validadas mediante el juicio de expertos abogados y profesionales de la salud. La población objetivo estuvo conformada por 456 formatos de consentimiento aplicados en los establecimientos de salud públicos de Lima Metropolitana, durante los años 2019 2021. En todos los formatos se cumplen los elementos necesarios asociados con datos del paciente, el profesional de la salud y el nombre del procedimiento o intervención quirúrgica. No hay elemento deseable que se cumpla en la totalidad de estos formatos. En ese sentido, se advierten brechas en el contenido de los esos formatos en los establecimientos de salud peruanos, por lo que se debe reivindicar el aspecto informativo para lograr actos de consentimiento plenamente eficaces.
Projetos terapêuticos singulares em saúde mental no Brasil: revisão de literatura
Authors: Borges Dimitri Xavier , Avelar Kátia Eliane Santos
Published: July 2023

The objective of this study was to analyze the studies carried out in Brazil that related treatment and follow-up in mental health with singular therapeutic local practices throughout the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS). Methodology: articles indexed in the databases National Library of Medicine – Pubmed and Scientific Electronic Library Online - Scielo, from 2010 in Portuguese and English. Four articles were selected, two were developed in the Southeast region of Brazil, a region with a high Human Development Index (HDI), one in the South region and the other in the Brazilian Northeast. Results: The results showed the lack of studies and actions in the area of mental health involving therapeutic and singular practices, as advocated by the United Nations Organization and the Psychiatric Reform in Brazil. Conclusion: this theme has been little investigated in the country, suggesting the encouragement of research and local practices in mental health and the promotion of public policies, considering the need for constant and growing actions due to the importance of the uniqueness of the treatment necessary for patients with mental disorders and their different possible techniques of biopsychosocial intervention.
Effect of Combination Intake of Protein, Vitamin C, and Blood Boost Tablets on Hemoglobin Levels of Adolescent Girls
Authors: Kusdalinah Kusdalinah , Suryani Desri , Nugroho Arie , Yunita Yunita
Published: July 2023

Anemia occurs when the blood hemoglobin concentration is lower than normal due to a deficiency of one or more nutrients. The impact of anemia on young women is decreased work productivity, stunted growth, more susceptible to infection, reduced body fitness, decreased enthusiasm for learning and decreased achievement The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a combination of intake of protein, vitamin C and blood supplement tablets on hemoglobin levels of young women in Bengkulu. This type of experimental research. The research design is pre-experimental. The statistical test used is the paired t-test. The average protein intake is 64.03 grams, the standard deviation is 1.13. The average intake of vitamin C is 100.5 mg, the standard deviation is 1.91. The mean intake of iron is 66.9 mg, the standard deviation is 1.65. While the average Hb level before treatment was 11.01 g/L, a standard deviation of 1.06 g/L, while the average Hb level after treatment was 13.60 g/L, a standard deviation of 2.63 g/L. P value = 0.0005 which means significant. There was a significant effect of the treatment of giving a combination of protein intake, vitamin C and blood boost tablets consumed by female students for 14 days of treatment on the increase in hemoglobin levels. It is hoped that further research can modify the research design, namely a quasi-experimental design.
Enantioselective synthesis of 6-(Indole-2-yl)-3,4-dihydropyran-2-one skeletons by N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 3] cycloaddition of α-bromocinnamaldehyde
Authors: He Gao , Chen Xiaoyu , Xia Siqi , Zhong Guofu , Yang Limin
Published: July 2023

The enantioselective construction of chiral 6-(indole-2-yl)-3,4-dihydropyran-2-one skeleton was demonstrated by the formal [3 + 3] cycloaddition reaction of α-bromocinnamaldehyde with β-ketoester indole catalyzed by chiral N -heterocyclic carbene (NHC). The reaction proceeds smoothly via a vinyl acyl azolium intermediate (electron-poor enone) generated from NHC-aldehyde adducts, providing 6-(indole-2-yl)-3,4-dihydropyran-2-one derivatives in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee ).
Gender Mainstreaming in Nigeria's 2019 General Elections: Evidence and Perspectives from Kano and Oyo states
Authors: Omotoso Sharon Adetutu , Enweremadu David Uchenna
Published: July 2023

Nigeria’s politics have been accused of gender imbalance since independence, and scholarship is replete with discussions of factors responsible for the low level of women’s participation and representation in politics, and women’s poor showing in electoral contests. Most studies of women’s political participation in Nigeria have taken a unidirectional approach of analysing or discussing women’s marginalisation in both appointive and elective offices. This study replaces the unidirectional approach with a multidirectional and multistakeholder analysis of the gender mainstreaming effort in Nigeria’s 2019 general election. With a focus on Kano and Oyo states, we argue that increased gender consciousness has not translated to any significant improvement in women’s representation in politics, thus implying that mainstreaming gender is of no effect if women’s participation in politics does not translate to a substantial representation of women in both number and influence.
A Unified Electro-Gravity Theory to Model Spiral Galaxies without Dark Matter
Authors: Das Nirod K.
Published: July 2023

A unified electro-gravity (UEG) theory, which has been successfully used for modeling an elementary particle, is applied in this paper to model gravitation in spiral galaxies. The new UEG model would explain the "flat rotation curves'' commonly observed in the spiral galaxies, without need for any hypothetical dark matter. The UEG theory is implemented in a somewhat different manner for a spiral galaxy, as compared to the simple application of the UEG theory to an elementary particle. This is because the spiral galaxy, unlike the elementary particle, is not spherically symmetric. The UEG constant $\gamma$, required in the new model to support the galaxies' flat rotation speeds, is estimated using measured data from a galaxy survey, as well as for a selected galaxy for illustration. The estimates are compared with the $\gamma$ derived from the UEG model of an elementary particle. The UEG model for the galaxy is shown to explain the empirical Tully-Fisher Relationship (TFR), is consistent with the Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND), and is also independently supported by measured trends of galaxy thickness with surface brightness and rotation speed. The UEG theory may similarly be extended to emulate the hypothetical dark matter in galaxy clusters as well as in cosmology.
The Role of C-reactive Protein in Aging associated NAFLD
Authors: Ding Zheng , Wei Yuqiu , Peng Jing , Wang Siyu , Chen Guixi , Sun Jiazeng
Published: July 2023

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a liver metabolism-associated steatohepatitis caused by non-alcoholic factors. NAFLD is currently the most prevalent liver disease in the world, affecting one-fourth of the world's population, and its prevalence increases with age. There are no approved drugs specifically for the treatment of NAFLD, and one important reason hindering drug development is the lack of effective biomarkers. C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, has been linked to NAFLD and aging in recent studies. Coincidentally, hepatocytes are responsible for the major CRP production, and the levels of CRP increase with age. Therefore, CRP is not only a potential marker, but also acts as a key factor driving liver aging and NAFLD. Herein, we reviewed the biological function and production mechanism of CRP and the relationship between CRP and NAFLD. We also comprehensively described the potential molecular mechanisms of CRP-mediated signaling in aging-associated NAFLD. Finally, we proposed possible therapeutic approaches based on the mechanism of CRP signaling in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. We hope this study can provide new insights into the development of aging associated NAFLD biomarkers and suggest that modulation of CRP signaling is a potential therapeutic target.
The use of intranasal interferon alpha-2b medicine in the complex treatment of children with thermal burn injury
Authors:   Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, Galova E.A. , Trifonova G.S. ,   Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, Krasnov V.V. ,   Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, Pimenov D.A. ,   Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

Objective. To assess the effect of intranasal recombinant interferon alpha-2b medicine (IFN-α2b, Grippferon) in the complex treatment of children with thermal burn injury based on the changes in the clinical parameters and the levels of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines in saliva. Patients and methods. The study included two groups of children with thermal burn injury that were comparable by gender, age and burn injury type. Main group patients (Group I, n = 20) received recombinant human IFN-α2b medicine intranasally in addition to the basic treatment, whereas the control group patients (Group II, n = 20) were given only the basic therapy. The results were compared with data of 20 healthy children (healthy controls). The levels of IFN-α2, IFN-γ, IL-1a, -1b, -4, -5, -6, -10, TNF-α and TNF-β were measured during follow-up visits on days 1 and 10 in the hospital. Results were analysed using Statistica 6.0 software. Null hypotheses were rejected at p < 0.05. Results. Our findings reveal that the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in all patients were lower, than those in healthy controls (p < 0.050), except for IL-6 and IL-10, whose levels increased (p = 0.001 and p = 0.012, respectively). The levels of mediators correlated with the burn area and depth (0.031 ≤ p ≤ 0.050). The use of intranasal recombinant IFN-α2b medicine was associated with a less pronounced imbalance in the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and ensured a 20% reduction in the absolute risk of acute respiratory viral disease (χ2 = 4,44, p = 0,035). Conclusion. Thermal burn injury in children can compromise the immunological homeostasis, manifested by changes in the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in mixed unstimulated saliva. Intranasal recombinant IFN-α2b medicine (Grippferon) has an immunomodulatory effect and can be recommended as a part of complex treatment of children with thermal burn injury for the prevention of acute respiratory viral diseases. Keywords: burn, thermal burn injury, cytokines, interferon alpha-2b, Grippferon, prevention, acute respiratory viral infections
Efficacy of phytotherapy for viral respiratory infections with cough in children
Authors:   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Geppe N.A. , Kolosova N.G. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Shatalina S.I. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Sazanova D.A. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: July 2023

Medicinal plants have been used for centuries, and in recent years their application has occupied a significant niche due to ongoing clinical research with herbal products developed using phytoneering techniques. Objective. This open-label comparative observational clinical study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Bronchipret®, a complex herbal medicine with mucoactive and anti-inflammatory effects, for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) accompanied by cough in children compared to Ambroxol. Patients and methods. A total of 60 children aged 2–12 years old (mean age: 4.3 ± 1.6 years) with clinical signs of ARIs and acute bronchitis were examined. All children were divided into two groups: the study group (group 1, n = 35) received Bronchipret® syrup in age-appropriate doses; the comparison group (group 2, n = 25) received Ambroxol syrup in ageappropriate doses. The duration of treatment was 10 days. Clinical manifestations of the disease (temperature, cough, respiratory sounds) were evaluated in points before the beginning of treatment, after 5 and 10 days. Computer bronchophonography (CBPG) was used to assess external respiratory function (ERF). Results. There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline. Both groups showed positive dynamics against the background of treatment. In group 1, 80% of the children (n = 27) had no cough, while 20% (n = 7) had residual cough (0.33 ± 0.1 points) by the 10th day of treatment. In group 2, cough resolved in 64% of the children (n = 16) by day 10 of treatment, and 36% had an occasional wet cough during the day. All children had no nocturnal cough. Computer bronchophonography in both groups revealed normalization of the parameters of acoustic component of the respiratory function (ACRF) in the low-, medium-, and high-frequency ranges, indicating a decrease in inflammation in the respiratory tract. Conclusion. The use of Bronchipret® in acute respiratory infections with cough in children is not inferior in effectiveness to Ambroxol and is well tolerated. Key words: children, acute respiratory infections, cough, phytotherapy, Bronchipret®
PROMIS Physical Function and Pain Interference Scores Correlate with the Lower Extremity Toronto Extremity Salvage Score
Authors: Jin Julie , Hong Zachery , Rhea Lee , McDonald Douglas J. , O’Keefe Regis J. , Cipriano Cara A.
Published: July 2023

Background:

The Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) and the National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) are both utilized to measure patient-reported outcomes in adults with musculoskeletal oncologic conditions. However, the relationship between them has not been studied. We sought to describe a link between Lower Extremity (LE) TESS and PROMIS Physical Function (PF) scores, as well as between LE TESS and Pain Interference (PI) scores, to develop a method for converting scores between TESS and PROMIS and to examine whether TESS and PROMIS captured differences in pain and function between clinically relevant subgroups in our population.

Methods:

Our study population consisted of 125 adult patients who underwent surgical treatment of a lower-extremity musculoskeletal tumor at a single sarcoma center between December 2015 and October 2018. The LE TESS questionnaire was administered to patients via paper and the PROMIS PF and PI were administered via iPad at a preoperative appointment. The relationship between LE TESS and PROMIS measures was analyzed with use of generalized linear modeling. Subgroup analyses were performed with a 2-tailed t test or 1-way analysis of variance.

Results:

PROMIS PF had a very strong positive correlation with LE TESS (r = 0.83) and was related through the following equation: PROMIS PF = 0.00294 × (LE TESS)2 + 22.6. PROMIS PI had a strong negative correlation with LE TESS (r = –0.77) and was related through the following equation: PROMIS PI = −0.00259 × (LE TESS)2 + 73.8. PROMIS PF and PI performed similarly to LE TESS across multiple patient subgroups and captured the expected differences between subgroups.

Conclusions:

LE TESS and PROMIS PF appeared to measure similar information in patients with an orthopaedic oncologic condition. Moreover, PROMIS PI scores were strongly correlated with functional disability as measured with the LE TESS. Understanding the relationship between TESS and PROMIS will allow the comparison and combination of data for both clinical and research purposes.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Artefactual source of 2-hydroxypyridine
Authors: Wilmes Paul , Trezzi Jean-Pierre , Aho Velma , Jäger Christian , Schade Sebastian , Janzen Annette , Hickl Oskar , Kunath Benoit , Thomas Mélanie , Schmit Kristopher , Garcia Pierre , Sciortino Alessia , Martin-Gallausiaux Camille , Halder Rashi , Huarte Oihane Uriarte , Heurtaux Tony , Heins-Marroquin Ursula , Gomez-Giro Gemma , Weidenbach Katrin , Delacour Léa , Laczny Cédric , Novikova Polina , Ramiro-Garcia Javier , Singh Randolph , Andújar Begoña Talavera , Lebrun Laura , Daujeumont Annegrait , Habier Janine , Dong Xiangyi , Gavotto Floriane , Heintz-Buschart Anna , Schneider Jochen , Jehmlich Nico , von Bergen Martin , Schymanski Emma , Schmitz Ruth , Schwamborn Jens , Glaab Enrico , Linster Carole , Kitami Toshimori , Buttini Manuel , May Patrick , Trenkwalder Claudia , Oertel Wolfgang , Mollenhauer Brit
Published: July 2023

As part of the revisions of our original manuscript, we performed 13C-labelling experiments with cultures of the microorganism most strongly correlated with 2-hydroxypyridine (2-HP), i.e. the archaeal species Methanobrevibacter smithii. Although unlabelled 2-HP was detected in the cultures, the measurements by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) indicated that M. smithii was not the direct source of 2-HP as labelled 2-HP was not measured. Further experiments involving a labelled solvent (deuterated pyridine) and faecal samples from our original study alongside the use of additional analytical platforms and measurements on human blood plasma and mouse brain tissues demonstrate that 2-HP is an artefact of the measurements by GC-MS. It is produced in a sample-specific manner during the derivatisation process for GC-MS by a so far unknown chemical reaction. Our correlative links between archaea (M. smithii) and 2-HP remain but, based on these most recent results, cannot be directly mechanistically linked. Apart from this central limitation of our original study, we have so far not uncovered any reasons which would draw into question the validity of our in vitro and in vivo results linking 2-HP to the observed molecular, behavioural and pathological hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease.
Revisiting the nexus between Economic Growth and Environment Health: An Empirical Study on 180 Nations
Authors: JAIN Megha , Jain Tinu , Jain Palakh
Published: July 2023

Sustainability is considered to be one of the biggest issues of our times. This study aims to understand the role of sustainability further by revisiting the much debated and intricate relationship between economic growth and environmental performance and to provide guidance to policymakers. Using a large sample of data from 180 countries over the period from 2002 to 2017 a measure that captures the various aspects of environmental performance, we perform a test of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, which defines the relationship between economic growth and environmental deterioration. Controlling for several associated macroeconomic and governance variables, our results suggest that, for certain regions, viz. Asia, Eastern Europe, and North America, higher economic growth as proxied by per capita GDP has a negative association with environmental performance as proxied by Environmental Performance Indices (EPI), indicating that the former may prove detrimental to the latter. Our results suggest a unidirectional relationship between the two variables and are also robust to endogeneity concerns that are often emphasized in the EKC literature. We document similar results for lower-income and lower-middle-income countries. Interestingly, we also find that small-sized governments in developing nations have a positive association with environmental performance.
Effect of Poling and Porosity on BaTiO3 for Piezocatalytic Dye Degradation
Authors: Gaur Akshay , Porwal Chirag , Sharma Moolchand , Chauhan Vishal Singh , Vaish Rahul , Kebaili Imen , Boukhris Imed , Wang Qingping , Bowen Chris
Published: July 2023

The presence of both organic and inorganic pollutants in water can represent a threat to our ecosystems and pose a challenge to long-term sustainability. As a result, there is a need to investigate novel methods for addressing environmental remediation. Among a variety of techniques available, piezoelectric catalysis has attracted attention due to its abililty to harness the piezoelectric effect for efficient degradation of pollutants. Herein, porous ceramic barium titnate (BaTiO3) pellets for piezocatalytic dye degradation were synthesized using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a pore former in 0-30 wt% proportion through solid state reaction method. The synthesized porous BaTiO3 pellets were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. An increase in the degradation of a Methylene Blue (MB) dye with an increase in porosity within the BaTiO3 materials, were a maximum degradation was observed for 30 wt% PMMA pellet which has a degradation rate that was ~1.75 greater than the dense (0 wt% PMMA) BaTiO3 ceramic pellet. Furthermore, the synthesized porous BaTiO3 ceramic pellets were pulse poled, where the piezoelectric coefficient (d33) decreased with an increase in porosity. The poled 30 wt% PMMA porous BaTiO3 pellet showed approximately ~57% MB dye degradation in 180 minutes, which was comparable with 30 wt % PMMA unpoled BaTiO3 and dense 0 wt% PMMA poled BaTiO3 ceramic pellet. The study provides insights on the influence of poling of a low density porous ceramic pellets, which are utilised as the piezocatalyst for water remediation.
Diversity and Negative Effect of PM0.3-10.0 Adsorbed by Needles of Urban Trees in Irkutsk, Russia
Authors: Mikhailova Tatiana Alekseevna , Shergina Olga Vladimirovna
Published: July 2023

The study was performed in natural forests preserved within the Boreal zone city, Irkutsk, Russia. Test sites were selected in the forests in different districts of the city, where samples of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) needles were taken to study the adsorption on their surface of aerosol particles of different sizes, in microns: PM0.3, PM0.5, PM1, PM2.5, PM5, PM10. Scanning electron microscopy was used to obtain high–resolution photographs (magnification 800–2000x, 16000x) and aerosol particles (Particulate Matter – PM) were shown to be intensively adsorbed by the surface of needles, with both size and shape of the particles characterized by a wide variety. Pine needles can be covered with particles of solid aerosol by 50–75%, stomata are often completely blocked. Larch needles often show areas, which are completely covered with aerosol particles, there are often found stomata deformed by the penetration of PMx. X–ray spectral microanalysis showed differences in the chemical composition of adsorbed PMx, the particles can be metallic if metals predominate in their composition, carbonaceous – in case of carbon predominance, or polyelemental, if the composition is complex and includes significant quantities of other elements besides metals and carbon (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, chlorine, fluorine). Since the particles contain a large proportion of technogenic pollutants, accumulation by the needles of some widespread pollutants was investigated. A direct correlation of a highly significant level between the concentration of PMx in the air and the accumulation of many heavy metals in pine and larch needles, as well as sulfur, fluorine, chlorine, has been revealed, which indicates a high cleaning capacity of urban forests. At the same time, the negative impact of PMx particles on the vital status of trees is great, which shows in intense disturbance of the parameters of photosynthesis and transpiration, leading to a significant decrease in the growth characteristics of trees and reduction in the photosynthetic volume of the crowns. We consider that the results obtained are instrumental in developing an approach to improvement of urban forests status and creating a comfortable urban environment for the population.
Solanine poisoning in an elderly man with dementia：a case report with clinical findings
Authors: GAO JING , Wang Zhang , Yu Weibing
Published: July 2023

Background:
In this case report，we presented a rare case of an elderly man with dementia who was diagnosed of solanine poisoning with significant abdominal distension.
Case presentation:
The case was a 74-year-old man who was referred to with fever and abdominal distension. The adbominal computed tomography showed significant intestinal dilatation. After anticholine hydrochloride injection, his abdominal distension dramatically diminished.
Conclusion:
It is important to be aware of abdominal distension is a clinical manifestation of solanine poisoning, especially elderly people with dementia. It can be helpful for the diagnosis of solanine poisoning in the future.
Barriers to Penicillin Allergy De-Labeling in the Inpatient and Outpatient Settings: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Alagoz Esra , Saucke Megan , Balasubramanian Prakash , Lata Paul , Liebenstein Tyler , Kakumanu Sujani
Published: July 2023

Background
Penicillin allergy is the most commonly reported drug allergy in the US. Despite evidence demonstrating that up to 90% of labels are incorrect, scalable interventions are not well established. As part of a larger mixed methods investigation, we conducted a qualitative study to describe the barriers to implementing a risk-based penicillin de-labeling protocol within a single site Veteran’s hospital.
Methods
We conducted individual and group interviews with multidisciplinary inpatient and outpatient healthcare teams. The interview guides were developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to explore workflows and contextual factors influencing identification and evaluation of patients with penicillin allergy. Three researchers iteratively developed the codebook based on TDF domains and coded the data using thematic analysis.
Results
We interviewed 20 clinicians. Participants included three hospitalists, five inpatient pharmacists, one infectious disease physician, two anti-microbial stewardship pharmacists, four primary care providers, two outpatient pharmacists, two resident physicians, and a nurse case manager for the allergy service. The factors that contributed to barriers to penicillin allergy evaluation and de-labeling were classified under six TDF domains; knowledge, skills, beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences, professional role and identity, and environmental context and resources. Participants from all groups acknowledged the importance of penicillin de-labeling. However, they lacked confidence in their skills to perform the necessary evaluations, such as test dose challenges. The fear of inducing an allergic reaction and adding further complexity to patient care exacerbated their reluctance to de-label patients. The lack of ownership of de-labeling initiative was another significant obstacle in establishing consistent clinical workflows. Additionally, heavy workloads, competing priorities, and ease of access to alternative antibiotics prevented the prioritization of tasks related to de-labeling. Space limitations and nursing staff shortages added to challenges in outpatient settings.
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrated that barriers to penicillin allergy de-labeling fall under multiple behavioral domains. Better role clarification, opportunities to develop necessary skills, and dedicated resources are needed to overcome these barriers. Future interventions will need to employ a systemic approach that addresses each of the behavioral domains influencing penicillin allergy de-labeling with stakeholder engagement of the inpatient and outpatient health care teams.
Analysis of rain-induced underground debris flow disasters in mines based on logistic regression models
Authors: Zeng Qingtian , Wu Aixiang , Cheng Haiyong , Li Zhengrong , Tuo Rujun , Wang Shaoyong , Sun Wei , Chen Chong , Sui Sugang
Published: July 2023

Rainfall is one of the main causes of underground debris flow disasters in mining areas. Studying the rainfall threshold required to induce sudden underground debris flow disasters in mines can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of such disasters in the rainy season. This paper analyzes the typical cases of underground debris flow disasters caused by rainfall in Pulang mining area from 2020 to 2022. A total of 249 rainfall events were selected, including 86 potential underground debris flow events and 5 major underground debris flow events. The logistic regression model is used to analyze the triggering rainfall before the event and the antecedent effective rainfall. The model evaluation results showed that the accuracy, AUC value and F1 value of the model were 0.85, 0.9493 and 0.85, respectively. The results show that the rainfall threshold of underground debris flow can be divided into three risk levels: P = 0.9: Triggering rainfall 88.6483 mm, antecedent effective rainfall 164.9885 mm. P = 0.7: Triggering rainfall was 78.2563 mm, and the antecedent effective rainfall was 145.6473 mm. P = 0.5: Triggering rainfall was 71.7336 mm, and the antecedent effective rainfall was 133.5076 mm.
Transcriptome-Wide Analysis of Gene Expression Landscape And Starch Synthesis Pathway Coexpression Network in Sorghum
Authors: Hu Zhenbin , Chen Junhao , Olatoye Marcus O , Zhang Hengyou , Lin Zhenguo
Published: July 2023

Background
Gene expression landscape across different tissues and developmental stages reflects their biological functions and evolutionary patterns. Integrative and comprehensive analyses of all transcriptomic data in an organism are instrumental to obtaining a complete picture of their expression landscape and tissue specificity. Such studies are still very limited in an important crop plant, sorghum, which has been used as a popular model to study drought and temperature tolerance. It also limits the discovery of the genetic basis underlying complex agricultural traits in sorghum.
Results
We characterized the genome-wide expression landscape for sorghum using 873 RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets representing 19 tissues. Our integrative analysis of these RNA-seq data provides the most comprehensive transcriptomic atlas for sorghum, which will be valuable for the sorghum research community for functional characterizations of sorghum genes. Based on the transcriptome atlas, we identified 595 housekeeping genes (HKGs) and 2,080 tissue-specific express genes (TEGs) for the 19 tissues. We identified different gene features between HKGs and TEGs, and we found that HKGs have experienced stronger selective constraints than TEGs. Furthermore, we built a transcriptome-wide co-expression network (TW-CEN) comprising 35 modules with each model having specific Gene Ontology terms enriched. High connectivity genes in TW-CEN tend to express at high levels while undergoing intensive selective pressure. With the TW-CEN, we also built global and seed-preferential co-expression networks of starch synthesis pathways, which showed that several pathways such as photosynthesis, microtubule-based movement, carotenoid biosynthesis, glycerol ether metabolic processes play important roles in starch synthesis.
Conclusions
The global transcriptome atlas of sorghum generated by this study provides an important functional genomics resource for traits discovery and insight into starch synthesis regulation in sorghum.
Evaluating the Merits and Constraints of Cryptography-Steganography Fusion: A Systematic Analysis
Authors: Haverkamp Indy , Sarmah Dipti K.
Published: July 2023

In an interconnected world, ensuring the confidentiality and security of digital data has become increasingly vital. Cryptography and steganography serve as two primary approaches to information security. Cryptography shields the content of messages, while steganography conceals their existence. While these methods find applications in diverse fields, there is ongoing exploration regarding the potential benefits of combining them. However, the practicality of merging these techniques hinges upon various factors, including bandwidth limitations, latency constraints, and specific security requirements pertinent to a given scenario, such as electronic voting. This review focuses on journal articles and conference papers implementing the integration of steganography and cryptography in practical applications. Notably, the majority of research conducted so far has been limited to medical applications, whereas image steganography finds widespread use across diverse domains. In this novel research, we do the extensive review in the following ways: i) By gaining valuable insights into the real-world applications being explored in the existing literature., and ii) By categorizing these applications based on their domain of applications (e.g., Medical or Transportation) and technological domain (e.g., Cloud Computing or Internet of Things). Moreover, this review thoroughly analyses the advantages and limitations associated with these implementations and discusses them from three evaluation perspectives: security, performance, and user experience. The categorization of applications facilitates guidance for future research in unexplored areas, while the three evaluation perspectives provide crucial aspects to consider when analyzing or evaluating real-world implementations.
UAD-DPN: An Unknown Attack Detection Method for Encrypted Traffic Based on Deep Prototype Network
Authors: CHEN Liangchen , GAO Shu , LIU Baoxu , JIANG Zhengwei , LU Zhigang
Published: July 2023

Intrusion detection systems (IDS) are well-known means of quickly detecting attacks, which can effectively detect known attacks available during training. However, when the system operates in a real open network environment, the attacks which it experiences may differ from those learned during training, which we call unknown attacks. Unknown attacks are significant threats, and their effects are the same as zero days. The main challenge of IDS is to detect unknown attacks and distinguish them from benign traffic and existing known attacks. There-fore, it is very importance to quantify to what extent an IDS can detect unknown attacks. But most existing deep learning methods for unknown attack detection cannot clearly recognize the deep features of unknown attack classes, which are inherently inaccurate. To solve these problems, an innovative unknown attack detection approach based on deep prototype network (UAD-DPN) is proposed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of encrypted unknown attack detection. First, we employ an encrypted traffic spatiotemporal fusion feature extraction network to improve the feature representation ability. Then, we propose an innovative prototype-based encrypted traffic feature space learning model, which uses discriminative loss and open loss training models to improve the performance of encrypted unknown attacks detection. Finally, an unknown attack identification method based on the nearest prototype rule and a three-stage training approach for UAD-DPN model are designed to conveniently and effectively identify known attacks and reject unknown attacks. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed UAD-DPN is very effective to detect both known and unknown attacks for encrypted traffic with higher accuracy and efficiency. Meanwhile, UAD-DPN have good application prospects in network intrusion detection system under the complex open network environment.
Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Attenuates Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children: A Proof-of-Concept Clinical Trial
Authors: Sahn Benjamin , Pascuma Kristine , Kohn Nina , Tracey Kevin J , Markowitz James F
Published: July 2023

Background
Vagus nerve stimulation is an investigational anti-inflammatory therapy targeting the nervous system to modulate immune activity. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous auricular VNS (ta-VNS) in patients with pediatric-onset Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC).
Methods
Participants were 10–21 years of age with mild/moderate CD or UC and fecal calprotectin (FC) > 200 ug/g within 4 weeks of study entry. Subjects were randomized to receive either ta-VNS targeting the cymba conchae of the external left ear, or sham stimulation for a 2-week duration followed by a cross over to the alternative stimulation for an additional 2 weeks. At week 4, all subjects received ta-VNS twice daily until week 16. Primary study endpoints were clinical remission, and a ≥ 50% reduction in FC level from baseline to week 16.
Results
Twenty-two subjects were enrolled (10 CD, 12 UC). Six of 10 with CD had a wPCDAI > 12.5 and 6/12 with UC had a PUCAI > 10 at baseline, correlating to mild to moderate symptom activity. Among the 12 subjects with active disease indices at baseline, clinical remission was achieved in 3/6 (50%) with CD and 2/6 (33%) with UC at week 16. Despite high FC levels within 4 weeks of enrollment, five subjects (4 UC, 1 CD) had FC levels < 200 at the baseline visit and were excluded from the FC analysis. Of the remaining 17, median baseline FC was 907 µg/g (IQR 411-2,120). At week 16, 11/17 (64.7%) of those with baseline FC ≥ 200 had a ≥ 50% reduction in FC (95% CI 38.3–85.8). In the UC subjects, there was an 81% median reduction in FC vs baseline (833 µg/g; p = 0.03) while in the CD subjects, median reduction in FC at 16 weeks was 51% (357 µg/g; p = 0.09). There were no safety concerns.
Conclusion
Noninvasive ta-VNS attenuated signs and symptoms in a pediatric cohort with mild to moderate inflammatory bowel disease
Trial Registration
NCT03863704 - Date of registration 3/4/2019
Multi-scale Atrous convolution and depth hash model
Authors: Liao Kaiyang , Lin Jie , Zheng Yuanlin , Wang Keer , Feng Wen
Published: July 2023

How to propose an image retrieval algorithm with adaptable model and wide range of applications for large-scale datasets has become a critical technical problem in current image retrieval. This paper proposes an incremental image retrieval algorithm based on Atrous convolution and deep hashing with an image retrieval system as the research object. The algorithm contains two important parts: the hash function learning part and the incremental hash code mapping part. Firstly, a module is designed called feature-aware to obtain multi-scale global context-aware information. It also keeps the scale and shape of the final extracted deep features invariant. Then, a new incremental hash loss function is designed to maintain the similarity between the query image and the dataset image. The experimental results show that the algorithm model can perform well in incremental image retrieval. It is shown that the algorithm can solve the current problem of low retrieval efficiency and high cost due to retraining models caused by the dramatic increase in the number of images in the image retrieval field.
Development of gel containing Psidium glaziovianum essential oil has in vitro antimicrobial activity and improves healing of excisional wounds in mice
Authors: Costa Wêndeo Kennedy , Guimarães Valquíria Bruna , Silva Bruno Vinicius Souza da , Ferreira Magda Rhayanny Assunção , Soares Luiz Alberto Lira , Napoleão Thiago Henrique , Paiva Patrícia Maria Guedes , Correia Maria Tereza dos Santos , Santos Fábio André Brayner dos , de Oliveira Alisson Macário , Silva Márcia Vanusa da
Published: July 2023

Wounds are physical, chemical, biological or even medical procedure-related damage to the skin or mucous membranes. One of the major problems in the treatment of wounds is the development of infections, as they cause systemic damage to the patient, delaying recovery from the injury. In order to accelerate the healing process, there is currently an interest in finding drugs that can interact with the injured tissue and fight the associated infections. Previously P. glaziovianum essential oil (PgEO) has been shown to have antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as minimal oral toxicity. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the impact of topical application of a gel formulation containing PgEO in excisional wounds in mice. Additionally, in vitro antimicrobial evaluation was also performed. The results of this research demonstrate that the gel containing essential oil of P. glaziovianum has action against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungi. Furthermore, the results show that PgEO gel therapy improves skin wound healing, presumably because of its ability to stimulate antioxidant enzymes and inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines. The gel also demonstrated minimal erythrocyte toxicity and skin irritation, which may hold promise for future preclinical and clinical studies in various types of wounds.
WaveVC: Speech and Fundamental Frequency Consistent Raw Audio Voice Conversion
Authors: Ko Kyungdeuk , kim Donghyeon , Oh Kyungseok , Ko Hanseok
Published: July 2023

Voice conversion (VC) is a task for changing the speech of a source speaker to the target voice style while preserving linguistic information of the source speech. Existing VC methods require a separate vocoder because they output mel-spectrogram. Therefore, the VC performance varies depending on the vocoder performance, and noisy speech can be generated due to problems such as train-test mismatch. In this paper, we propose a speech and fundamental frequency consistent raw audio voice conversion method called WaveVC. WaveVC does not require a separate vocoder because it performs VC directly on raw audio and is unaffected by vocoder performance. In addition, WaveVC uses speech loss and F0 loss to preserve content information and generate F0 consistent results. WaveVC shows high performance in both many-to-many VC and any-to-any VC, and the converted samples are available online.
CBD: A Potential Lead against Hair Loss, Alopecia, and its Potential
Mechanisms
Authors: Wal Pranay , Wal Ankita
Published: July 2023

Background:

Nowadays, the majority of the population suffers from the problem of hair
loss. It leads to disturbed mental health, lower self-confidence, and a lot more problems. A lot of the
hair loss therapies available are not reliable and lead to recurrence and side effects after some time.
Cannabinoids (CBD) have recently become quite popular for their benefits against hair loss. CBD oil
preparations have been used both internally and externally for oral and topical use, respectively. Due
to the presence of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the body, which naturally targets CB1 and
CB2 receptors, the control of hair fall is possible. CBD is used topically for hair loss, whereas it is
administered orally for the treatment and management of a medical condition, i.e., alopecia.

Aim/Objective:

The present review aimed to provide an in-depth study on hair loss and its management
using CBD and its associated mechanisms.

Methods:

Electronic databases, such as ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, Wiley, Springer, and
Scopus, were thoroughly searched for information about how CBD is used, how it works, and what
role it plays in treating alopecia and hair loss.

Results:

This review has highlighted the use of CBD-based hair loss therapy, and described various
types of hair loss and their treatments. This review also details the phytocannabinoids and the potential
mechanisms of CBD's activity against hair loss and alopecia.

Conclusion:

The data obtained from the literature regarding CBD and hair loss provide a scientific
basis for CBD use in alopecia. Additionally, a more precise and comprehensive study concerning
CBD needs to be carried out at the pre-clinical and clinical levels.
Preparation and Characterisation and Performance of Copper (II)
Surfactant as Cu(II) Complex
Authors: Sukhadia Vandana , Sharma Rashmi , Meena Asha
Published: July 2023

Background:

Organic synthesis, under environment-friendly circumstances, has
a great impact on sustainable development. In this perspective, visible light photocatalysis
has emerged as a green model, as this offers an energy-efficient pathway towards organic
conversion. Light has been used as an energy source in this study, which is also a green
approach to a sustainable environment.

Methods:

An investigation of the effects of various physical parameters, like the amount of
complex, catalyst dose, and varying polarity of solvent methanol-benzene, on the
photocatalytic degradation of surfactant as copper (II) mustard 2-amino 6-methyl
benzothiazole complex has been carried out under the UV-visible light source. Biocidal
activities of Staphylococcus aureus have also been studied in this work.

Results:

The rate of percent degradation has been found to increase with an increase in the
range of parameters.

Conclusion:

This study provides a deeper experimental knowledge of the photocatalysis
processes as well as microbial activities of the copper (II) mustard 2-amino 6-methyl
benzothiazole complex. This article deals with advances in photocatalytic methods under
non-aqueous media over the past few years.