bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Cross-sectional Study to Determine the Relationship between Various Anthropometric Indices and Depth of Spinal Needle Insertion in Indian Patients undergoing Elective Surgeries under Spinal Anaesthesia
Authors: Dave Anish H , Patel Rajendra D , Vaidya Mansi U , Kotak Nirav M
Published: March 2021

Introduction: The estimation of Depth from Skin to Subarachnoid Space (DSS) may be helpful in selecting the appropriate length of the spinal needle before insertion and decrease the chances of accidental dural puncture. Aim: To determine the usefulness of previously suggested formulae and to derive mathematical formulae to predict DSS for the Indian population. Materials and Methods: After approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee, 700 American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status I and II patients were recruited from August 2017 to July 2018. Patients of either sex in the age group of 18-65 years, undergoing elective surgeries under spinal anaesthesia were included in this cross-sectional study. DSS was measured after Sub Arachnoid Block (SAB) and it was compared with various formula-based predicted DSS. Multivariate regression analysis was done to evaluate the influence of anthropometric indices on DSS and formulae were derived for the Indian population. p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Final data analysis was performed on 685 patients. SAB was successful in first attempt in 624 (91.09%) patients, second attempt in 47 (6.86) patients and third attempt in 11 (1.60) patients. There was a failure of SAB in 3 (0.43%) in total analysed subjects. The measured mean DSS was 4.60±0.602 cm. DSS in adult males (4.60±0.5818 cm) was comparable with DSS in adult females (4.61±0.6377 cm). Formula for predicting DSS in the overall population was DSS (cm)=0.8+0.16×BMI. Formulae were also derived based on other variables like weight, Weight-to-Height Ratio (WHR) and Waist Circumference (WC). The strength of correlation between the anthropometric indices and DSS is BMI>WHR>Weight>WC>Height in decreasing order. DSS correlates best with Body Mass Index (BMI) and WHR. Conclusion: The proposed formulae based on BMI can be used to predict the DSS. It would help in the selection of appropriately sized spinal needle which in turn would reduce the number of attempts and incidence of failure and complications in patients.
Nutrition Education of Mothers and Zinc Supplementation among Children in the Rural Community, Cameroon
Authors: Nolla Nicolas Policarpe , Sop Marie Modestine Kana , Mananga Marlyne Joséphine , Gouado Inocent
Published: March 2021

Aims: Malnutrition among children, especially stunting is a public health problem in Cameroon. This study assesses the impact of zinc supplementation of children and nutrition education of mothers on the nutritional status of the children in the Bangang rural community.

Study Design: This was a descriptive and prospective study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study took place in the Bangang community in the Region of West Cameroon, during the period from March to December 2015.

Methodology: The children aged 6 to 48 months and mothers aged 20 to 34 years were selected after the baseline survey and enrolled. Dietary surveys were used to evaluate the frequency of foods consumed by 150 children. Zinc supplementation group of children (ZSG, n= 25) received 10 mg of zinc sulfate tablets per day for 14 days and control group (CG, n=25) was formed by children whose mothers received nutrition counseling. The nutrition education sessions organized into 4 modules were conducted quarterly for 9 months on a sample of 100 mothers. After interventions, impact of zinc supplementation and maternal education was assessed by determining height for age and weight for age indices, and biochemistry parameters.

Results: The results showed that zincemia of ZSG varied significantly (P = .0001) and not significantly (P = .23) for CG. After nutrition education, dietary diversity was improved; reduction of chronic malnutrition (10.9%) and increasing number of children with good nutritional status (6.6%) were observed. Increased for phosphoremia (3.6 ± 2.4 to 5.7 ± 1.8 mg/dl; P = .001) and albuminemia (34.8 ± 15.5 to 46.9 ± 8.9 g/l; P = .002) were significant which was not the case of calcemia, zincemia, magnesemia and serum iron.

Conclusion: This study showed positive impact of zinc supplementation and maternal education on the nutritional status of children.
Effect of Abiotic Factors on the Antifungal Activity of Lactobacillus Strains Isolated from Commercial Dairy and Fermented Foods from Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
Authors: Aboh Mercy , Amaeze Ngozi , Ikeji Ijeoma , Oladosu Peters
Published: March 2021

Increasing consumer demand for natural products have renewed food industry attention in bio preservation. Lactic acid bacteria are of particular interest as effective alternative to chemical preservation because of their food grade status. This work explores the effect of antifungal compounds produced by isolates of Lactobacillus sp on some selected pathogenic fungi growth. Samples of diary and fermented products were purchased from commercial vendors within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and screened for the presence of Lactobacillus sp. The Lactobacillus sp isolated were screened for antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum using a dual culture assay. Strains with antifungal activity were identified and the fungal inhibitory activity was further evaluated. The effect of abiotic factors on the antifungal activity was evaluated by overlay assay under different temperature and pH. Majority of the identified isolates belonged to the genus Lactobacillus. Lactobacillus sp. produced antifungal compounds under different temperatures (25ºC, 30ºC and 37ºC). The antifungal compounds produced by Lactobacillus strains showed greater inhibitory activity on Aspergillus fumigatus. At 30ºC the percentage zones of inhibition range were 44.4%- 60.4%. All isolates showed stronger antifungal activity when grown at pH 4.0 and 5.0. At a pH 2.0 there was a total inhibition of fungal growth however, there was no inhibition of fungal growth at the pH 7.0. Lactic acid bacteria can be employed as effective alternative to chemical preservatives in food. Temperature and pH of the culture medium could influence the production of antifungal compounds by lactic acid bacteria.
Proposing the Incorporation of Basic Medical Sciences into the Curriculum for Basic Education Training
Authors: Aguwa U. S. , Ovie O. F. , Onwuelingo F. S. , Okonkwo D. I. , Ogbonnaya M. O. , Asebioyo S. J. , Eze C. E. , Obinwa B. N.
Published: March 2021

Health is everyone’s business. Teachers are essential channels for transmitting societal values to the younger generation. To achieve this, attention must be paid to proper curriculum in teachers’ training. This study was designed to ascertain empirically the level of knowledge of teachers on the basics of medical sciences and to propose the introduction of Basic Medical Sciences in the curriculum for teachers training in Nigeria. The research design is a descriptive non-experimental survey. The research population was students of post-graduate diploma in Education (PGDE) and the sampling method was the random sampling method. The total study population is 1031 and the sample size is 165 determined by the method of Krejcie and Morgan. The control group was drawn from 80 students in 2nd semester 200 level of Anatomy, Physiology and Medicine & Surgery departments. The research instrument is a questionnaire. A total of 250 questionnaires were distributed, 234 returned but 12 were disqualified due to improper filling. Therefore 222 (88.8%) was used for the study. Our results showed that male respondents scored an average of 47.66% as against 88.91% from the control group. Female respondents scored an average of 43.70% asagainst 74.91% by the female control group. Respondents on the average scored 43.28% in Anatomy related questions and 49.49% in physiology related questions. It was concluded that knowledge of basic medical sciences among teacher-trainees in Nigeria is deficient. On this basis we propose the incorporation of Basic Medical Science in teachers’ training curriculum in Nigeria.
Determination of Predisposing Factors in Developing Candida albicans Associated Urinary Tract Infection and Antifungal Sensitivity Profile
Authors: Lal Sham , Parkash Om , Kumar Pardeep , Malik Zulfiqar Ali , Unar Khalida , Ahmed Zuheeb , Maitlo Marvi , Unar Ayaz Ali , Sapna Sapna
Published: March 2021

Aim: Candiduria is very common in hospitalized patients. It poses a clinical challenge for the physicians since it is usually asymptomatic. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with nosocomial candiduria in urinary tract infection (UTI) suspected patients in Methodology: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and to determine their antifungal sensitivity profile.

The urine specimens (168) were collected, microscopically screened for presence of yeast, cultured and analyzed for counting, isolation, phenotypic identification of Candida albicans. and testing antifungal resistance profile. Data regarding age, gender, use of catheter, use of antibiotics, diabetes mellitus among patients was also recorded.

Results: Out of 168 specimens, C. albicans were isolated from 69 specimens, whereas 20 specimens showed other Candida spp. Age >45 years, gender female, previous use of antibiotics, urinary catheterization, stay in ICU >1 week were found the main predisposing factors (p<0.05) responsible for developing nosocomial candiduria. All C. albicans isolates were found either susceptible or susceptible-dose dependent to fluconazole, amphotericin B and voriconazole; however, 62.32% of the isolates were resistant to itraconazole.

Conclusion: Most frequent candiduria, possible predisposing factors in ICU patients and resistance of C. albicans towards itraconazole is alarming and highlights the need of candiduria surveillance.
High Active Co/Mg1-xCex3+O Catalyst: Effects of Metal-Support Promoter Interactions on CO2 Reforming of CH4 Reaction
Authors: Al-Doghachi Faris A. Jassim , Murad Diyar M. A. , Al-Niaeem Huda S. , Al-Jaberi Salam H. H. , Mohamad Surahim , Taufiq-Yap Yun Hin
Published: March 2021

Co/Mg1−XCe3+XO (x = 0, 0.03, 0.07, 0.15; 1 wt% cobalt each) catalysts for the dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction were prepared using the co-precipitation method with K2CO3 as precipitant. Characterization of the catalysts was achieved by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The role of several reactant and catalyst concentrations, and reaction temperatures (700–900 °C) on the catalytic performance of the DRM reaction was measured in a tubular fixed-bed reactor under atmospheric pressure at various CH4/CO2 concentration ratios (1:1 to 2:1). Using X-ray diffraction, a surface area of 19.2 m2.g−1 was exhibited by the Co/Mg0.85Ce3+0.15O catalyst and MgO phase (average crystallite size of 61.4 nm) was detected on the surface of the catalyst. H2 temperature programmed reaction revealed a reduction of CoO particles to metallic Co0 phase. The catalytic stability of the Co/Mg0.85Ce3+0.15O catalyst was achieved for 200 h on-stream at 900 °C for the 1:1 CH4:CO2 ratio with an H2/CO ratio of 1.0 and a CH4, CO2 conversions of 75% and 86%, respectively. In the present study, the conversion of CH4 was improved (75%–84%) when conducting the experiment at a lower flow of oxygen (1.25%). Finally, the deposition of carbon on the spent catalysts was analyzed using TEM and Temperature programmed oxidation-mass spectroscopy (TPO-MS) following 200 h under an oxygen stream. Better anti-coking activity of the reduced catalyst was observed by both, TEM, and TPO-MS analysis. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA   License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Reconfigurable Flexible Electronics Driven by Origami Magnetic Membranes
Authors: Qi Zhijie , Zhou Mingxing , Li Ya , Xia Zhiqiang , Huo Wenxing , Huang Xian
Published: March 2021

Deformation of flexible electronics can lead to reconfigurable electrical properties, controllable deployment, and tunable working modes, but approaches to actuate flexible electronics are quite limited. A promising method involves using magnetic fields to yield simple displacement of magnetic membranes. However, realization of complex multiaxial bending and rotations of magnetic membranes remains challenging. Here, flexible origami magnetic membranes with programmable magnetic polarities are used to generate complex spatial deformation through coupling with an external magnetic field and interaction among intrinsic magnetism. The membranes can work as standalone flexible actuators and serve as substrates to trigger spontaneous deformation of the carrying flexible devices such as antennas, energy harvesters, and light‐emitting diode arrays. The membranes can travel on a dry surface or in a liquid environment. They also exhibit the capability to reversibly capture and release objects traveling at 326 mm s–1. Flexible devices on the membranes can offer tunable gains and frequencies as well as novel folding and releasing mechanisms determined by the complex magnetic polarities of the underneath membranes. The origami magnetic membranes can be combined to yield more complicate patterns and magnetic polarities, leading to innovative applications in surgical robots, tunable antennas, and various reconfigurable flexible electronics.
Vocal and movement responses of mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) to natural loud calls from neighbors
Authors: Ceccarelli Enrico , Rangel‐Negrín Ariadna , Coyohua‐Fuentes Alejandro , Canales‐Espinosa Domingo , Dias Pedro Américo D.
Published: March 2021

Loud calls (i.e., long‐range acoustic signals) regulate resource competition among neighboring groups of conspecifics in several nonhuman primate species. Ultimate explanations for primate loud calls include mate, offspring, and food defense. Additionally, loud calls may provide valuable information pertaining to the identity and health status of callers, their competitive abilities, and their spatial location. The loud calls of howler monkeys (Alouatta) have been thoroughly studied and seem to play an important function in the defense of valuable resources in a variety of socioecological contexts. Here, we examined whether the behavioral responses of mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) to natural loud calls from neighbors are linked to three factors: food availability, familiarity, and distance between groups. We studied three groups of mantled howler monkeys at La Flor de Catemaco (Los Tuxtlas, Mexico) for 15 months (1817 observation hours), during which we recorded 236 neighbor loud calls. Food availability per se did not influence the behavior of groups receiving loud calls, although males produced longer vocal responses toward unfamiliar neighbors when food availability decreased. Groups vocalized quicker and both vocalized and moved for longer after loud calls from unfamiliar neighbors. Additionally, groups vocalized and moved for longer at shorter distances from unfamiliar neighbors compared with familiar neighbors. Finally, groups usually moved away from calling neighbors that were closer. These results indicate that the behavioral responses of mantled howler monkeys to loud calls from neighbor groups are associated with the integration of information pertaining to caller identity as well as to their ecological and spatial context.
Evaluation of engine performance and emission of African pear seed oil (APO) biodiesel and its prediction via multi‐input‐multi‐output artificial neural network (ANN) and sensitivity analysis
Authors: Ude Callistus Nonso , Onukwuli O Dominic , Uchegbu N Nneka , Umeuzuegbu Jonah C , Amulu Ndidi F
Published: March 2021

The evaluation of engine performance and emission of biodiesel produced from African pear seed oil (APO) and its prediction using multi‐input‐multi‐output (MIMO) artificial neural network (ANN) technique was studied. A standard diesel test bed was used to carry out the evaluation using petrol‐diesel, biodiesel, and its blends, operating at various engine revolutions per minute. Sensitivity analysis used the connection weight method. The performance results showed that petro‐diesel blended with a small amount of APO methyl ester (B20) improved the engine efficiency and emissions better than only petrol‐diesel. The engine performance was predicted well, with the MIMO model having better correlation coefficients of 0.99779, 0.99993, and 0.99774 on training, validation, and testing, respectively, than the Multiple input Single Output (MISO) model. The desired outputs compared between their measured and simulated values exhibited a very low mean square error of 0.0000014488. The blend had the highest relative impact (62.08%) on the output variables. The MIMO model has therefore shown the potential to adopt two input variables equally in predicting the engine performance of biodiesel rather than only complex variables. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Cognitive dysfunction in Nigerian women with epilepsy on carbamazepine and levetiracetam monotherapy
Authors: Ogunjimi Luqman , Yaria Joseph , Makanjuola Akintomiwa , Alabi Akinyinka , Osalusi Bamidele , Oboh David , Olusola‐Bello Mojisola , Aderinola Adeyinka , Ogunniyi Adesola
Published: March 2021

Background

This study aims to identify the determinants of cognitive dysfunction and compare the effect of CPZ and LTC on cognition in WWE.

Methods

An observational study involving 87 consenting adult WWE aged between 16 and 40 years on LTC or CZP monotherapy. At enrollment, an interviewer‐based questionnaire was used to obtain demographic and clinical information from participants. The diagnosis of epilepsy was mainly clinical and supported by electroencephalographic (EEG) features and classified based on recommendation by the 2017 International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). Zung Self‐Reporting Depression Scale (ZSRDS) was used to assess the mood of participants. The Community Screening Interview for Dementia (CSID) was used to assess various cognition domains. The National Hospital Seizure Severity Scale (NHS‐3) was used to assess disease severity.

Results

There were statistical differences between the CZP and LTC groups in all domains of cognition assessed except for orientation. The total CSID scores of the LTC group were 59.2 (4.9) as opposed to CZP group, 57.2 (5.0); p: .005. Those with focal onset seizures had lower median total CSID score (58; IQR: 54–62) when compared to those with generalized onset seizures (62; IQR: 58–62), p: .012. There was a significant correlation between ZSRD score and NHS‐3 score; rho: 0.30, p: .007. Bivariate analysis shows statistically significant correlation between total CSID score and ZSRDS (rho: −0.65), BMI (rho: 0.22), and NHSS‐3 score (rho: −0.36), respectively. However, the effect of AED on CSID scores was lost after multivariate quantile regression with only ZSRDS retaining significance.

Conclusion

Depression, seizure severity, type and structural etiology were associated with cognitive impairment among WWE. However, on regression model, only depression was statistically significant. The presence of more risks for cognitive impairment in the CZP group limits possible conclusion of LTC superiority.
Vitamin D and COVID‐19 in an immunocompromised patient with multiple comorbidities—A Case Report
Authors: Kralj Martina , Jakovac Hrvoje
Published: March 2021

Routine 25‐OH‐Vitamin D3 measurement in COVID‐19 patients could be of great importance, either for clinical course estimation or deciding on supplementation.
The impact of surface properties on photovoltaics' colour angular sensitivity: A comparison study for façade integration
Authors: Xiang Changying , Green Phil , Matusiak Barbara Szybinska
Published: March 2021

Façade integrated photovoltaics are a promising way to employ renewable energy technology in the built environment. The colours of façade integrated photovoltaics are essential to the overall aesthetic quality of buildings, especially in urban context. Currently, several brands of coloured photovoltaics are available in the market for architects, however, unlike traditional façade materials, the colorimetric characteristics of coloured PVs are rarely studied. To provide a foundation for further aesthetic research on façade integrated photovoltaics and to develop architectural design guidelines with façade integrated photovoltaics, a series of colour angular sensitivity experiments have been carried out on six different types of opaque coloured photovoltaics. The photovoltaic samples were measured from different distances and at different angles with a PR‐655 spectroradiometer, in a series of laboratory and outdoor experiments. The experimental results show that the surface properties including colour, texture, and surface gloss have a strong impact on the photovoltaic's colour angular sensitivity. Goniochromatic phenomena have been found in samples with a spectrally selective coating technique (Kromatix photovoltaics) and samples with anti‐reflective coatings with metallic texture (LOF metallic photovoltaics). Samples with selective filter technique and low‐gloss rough finishing (ISSOL photovoltaics) show angular insensitivity for hue in different illumination conditions. Samples with mineral coating techniques (Sunage photovoltaics) show colour angular insensitivity in overcast illumination, while matt finishing leads to larger colour angular difference than gloss finishing in direct sunlight illumination. This study also proposed basic design suggestions to integrate different coloured photovoltaics according to their colour angular sensitivity characteristic from architectural perspective.
The IL‐27/IL‐27R axis is altered in CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes from multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Clénet Marie‐Laure , Laurent Cyril , Lemaitre Florent , Farzam‐kia Negar , Tastet Olivier , Devergne Odile , Lahav Boaz , Girard Marc , Duquette Pierre , Prat Alexandre , Larochelle Catherine , Arbour Nathalie
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory properties have been attributed to interleukin‐27 (IL‐27). Nevertheless, the impact of this cytokine on chronic inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) remains ill‐defined. We investigated the biology of IL‐27 and its specific receptor IL‐27Rα in MS patients.

Methods

Levels of IL‐27 and its natural antagonist (IL‐27‐Rα) were measured by ELISA in biological fluids. CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were isolated from untreated relapsing–remitting MS patients and healthy donors. Transcriptome‐wide analysis compared T‐cell subsets stimulated or not with IL‐27. Expression of the IL‐27Rα, key immune factors, STAT phosphorylation and cytokine production was assessed by flow cytometry.

Results

We observed elevated levels of IL‐27 in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of MS patients compared with controls. Moreover, we show that specific IL‐27‐mediated effects on T lymphocytes are reduced in MS patients including the induction of PD‐L1. IL‐27‐triggered STAT3 signalling pathway is enhanced in CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes from MS patients. Elevated IL‐27Rα levels in serum from MS patients are sufficient to impair the capacity of IL‐27 to act on immune cells. We demonstrate that shedding of IL‐27Rα by activated CD4+ T lymphocytes from MS patients contributes to the increased IL‐27Rα peripheral levels and consequently can dampen the IL‐27 responsiveness.

Conclusion

Our work identifies several mechanisms that are altered in the IL‐27/IL‐27R axis in MS patients, especially in T lymphocytes. Our results underline the importance of characterising the biology of cytokines in human patients prior to design new therapeutics.
The case for investigating a bidirectional association between insomnia symptoms and eating disorder pathology
Authors: Christensen Kara A. , Short Nicole A.
Published: March 2021

Many people with eating disorders (EDs) report symptoms of insomnia (i.e., frequent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and/or early morning wakening) and sleep problems have been linked to alterations in eating behaviors; however, mechanisms of these bidirectional associations remain poorly understood and under researched. This is a problem because higher insomnia symptom severity is a risk factor for the onset and perpetuation of anxiety, mood, trauma, and substance use disorders and, potentially, ED symptoms. Furthermore, insomnia symptoms may hinder recovery and increase relapse rates following successful psychotherapy. In this article, we describe potential mechanisms underlying bidirectional associations between insomnia and eating psychopathology that may contribute to the etiology and maintenance of both disorders. We suggest novel directions for future research to characterize the association between dysregulated sleep and ED symptoms and to evaluate impacts of insomnia symptoms on relapse and recovery for people with co‐occurring pathology. Finally, we discuss options for testing the incorporation of existing evidence‐based treatments for insomnia disorder (e.g., Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) with ED care. Overall, insomnia symptoms present a promising intervention point for ED treatment that has not been systematically tested, yet would be highly feasible to address in routine clinical care.
Bacterial inactivation via microfluidic electroporation device with insulating micropillars
Authors: Pudasaini Sanam , Perera A T K , Ng Sum Huan , Yang Chun
Published: March 2021

Electroporation is a promising method to inactivate cells and it has wide applications in medical science, biology and environmental health. Here, we investigate the bacteria inactivation performance of two different microfluidic electroporation devices with rhombus and circular micropillars used for generating locally enhanced electric field strength. Experiments are carried out to characterize the inactivation performance (i.e., the log removal efficiency) of two types of bacteria: Escherichia coli (E. coli, gram‐negative) and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis, gram‐positive) in these two microfluidic devices. We find that under the same applied electric field, the device with rhombus micropillars performs better than the device with circular micropillars for both E. coli and E. faecalis. Numerical simulations show that due to the corner‐induced singularity effect, the maximum electric field enhancement is higher in the device with rhombus micropillars than that in the device with circular micropillars. We also study the effects of DC and AC electric fields and flowrate. Our experiments demonstrate that the use of the DC field achieves higher log removal efficiencies than the use of AC field.
COVID‐19 Aftershocks on Alcohol‐Associated Liver Disease: An Early Cross‐Sectional Report From the U.S. Epicenter
Authors: Rutledge Stephanie M. , Schiano Thomas D. , Florman Sander , Im Gene Y.
Published: March 2021

Experts have forewarned about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic environment fomenting the rising incidence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol‐associated liver disease (ALD). We performed a cross‐sectional study of ALD at our liver transplantation (LT) center, located in the initial U.S. epicenter, New York City. Centered around the “stay at home” order date in New York state, March 22, 2020, we defined three time periods: “pre‐COVID” (January 1, 2020‐March 21, 2020), “COVID‐quarantine” (March 22, 2020‐April 22, 2020), and “declining‐COVID” (April 23, 2020‐August 25, 2020). We found a 62% increase in interhospital patient transfers for ALD from pre‐COVID (20 of 93, 21%) to the declining‐COVID period (43 of 127, 34%). Our inpatient liver census with ALD also increased: 38% pre‐COVID, 45% COVID‐quarantine, and 49% declining‐COVID. Among 30 patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) not responding to medical therapy since March 22, 2020, 9 underwent early LT for AH (16% of the total number of early LT during our 8‐year program). Three of 9 early‐LT recipients reported specific COVID‐related stressors. All 25 previous LT recipients with established abstinence pre‐COVID maintained abstinence at follow‐up visits during the declining‐COVID period. Of the 6 recipients with sustained alcohol use within 6 months before March 22, 2020, half regained abstinence during the declining‐COVID period. Our findings help confirm the predictions of rising AUD and ALD as an immediate consequence of the COVID‐19 pandemic. This aftershock particularly affected ethnically diverse patients with ALD with high inpatient mortality, reflecting the disproportionate impact of COVID‐19 on underserved and minority populations. Alcohol relapse did not occur in long‐term early LT for AH recipients during the time of COVID‐19. This lends further support to AH being a viable indication for LT, with recipients able to demonstrate ongoing resilience in the face of this unprecedented universal stressor.
Entropy generation in Casson nanofluid flow over a surface with nonlinear thermal radiation and binary chemical reaction
Authors: Almakki Mohammed , Mondal Hiranmoy , Kameswaran Peri K. , Sibanda Precious
Published: March 2021

We introduce a model that precisely accounts the flow of fluid of Casson nanofluid over a stretched surface with activation energy and analyze entropy generation. The model is an attempt to investigate heat transfer and entropy generation in the laminar boundary layer near a stagnation point. The modified Arrhenius function for activation energy is used. Here, the flow of the fluid is subjected to nonlinear thermal radiation, viscous disipation, binary chemical reaction, and external magnetic field. The coupled nonlinear system is further validated using the spectral lineralization method. The method is found to be accurate and convergent. The results show that the Reynolds number and Casson parameter have a significant effect in entropy generation.
Maintaining personal resilience in this Covid‐19 era
Authors: Stobbs Christine
Published: March 2021

The role of personal resilience in maintaining psychological wellbeing is now more important than ever. No matter what your role is in practice, you are still susceptible to making that unfortunate transition from feeling pressure (which comes with the job) to feeling stressed. The Covid‐19 pandemic has made these issues more acute, so it's worth taking time out to think about how you can preserve and enhance your mental health going forward.
The American Culture of Face Masks
Authors: Nguyen Jonathan
Published: March 2021

Because of a global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus COVID‐19, people across the United States of America are sequestering themselves in their homes in compliance with their state's quarantine mandate. Many have found innovative ways to cope with the consequences COVID‐19 and related public health guidelines have had on their lives. Amidst this crisis, hundreds of thousands of Americans are protesting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, the highest numbers yet to take to the streets for the issue of ongoing police brutality (particularly the murder of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by awhite police office, Derek Chauvin). Social distancing guidelines are quite difficult to follow at these densely populated protests. Thus, in this time of uncertainty and risk, one piece of material culture has become especially relevant and contentious: the face mask. My ethnography on Los Angeles County residents and their experiences with face masks during both quarantine and the Black Lives Matter protests helps illuminate some of the social context surrounding this controversial garment in American society. I conclude that people's relationships to face masks reveal a culture of individualism, paternalism, and fearmongering at the heart of American society.
Sexualities of Imagined Bodies During a Time of Social Isolation
Authors: Carlos Dorothy
Published: March 2021

As the world shifted into social isolation at the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, many found remote dating to be their only outlet for romantic and sexual interaction. In this paper, I examine the constructed reality of personal advertisements in the COVID‐19 era. I focus on the meaning individuals find in online dating and how they use their imagination in the development of online relationships. I followed the stories of those individuals who took out personal advertisements in the New York Review of Books at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Although I draw on textual analysis of these advertisements, I am less concerned with the genre and more concerned with the ad authors' relationships to online dating. By conducting interviews, I found that online relationships offer their own distinct pleasures and that their format affords individuals more freedom of self‐presentation and expression than in‐person dating, thereby setting participants up for potentially more successful romantic first impressions.
Ignorance and Suffering: Insights from Tibetan Medical Philosophy on American thought in the 2020 Pandemic
Authors: Katzman Jonah Richard
Published: March 2021

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, we Americans have entrusted our safety and wellbeing to our most reckless and responsible citizens alike. The puzzling reality of American health care is that although U.S. medical technologies are foremost in the world, public deficits in scientific knowledge and a confusion about the value of “individual freedom” versus “public health” hinder efforts to contain the spread of COVID‐19. Today, expert advice surrounding the dangers of the coronavirus and theimportanceoffacemasksshouldbetakenwith the utmost seriousness. By July 22, 14 million people are known to have been infected and as the number grows, it is increasingly important that we, as a national public, educate ourselves and others about scientific developments concerning COVID‐19 to slow this crisis. The theory of confronting ignorance to avoid prolonged suffering is hardly a new concept, having existed for thousands of years in ancient Tibetan‐Buddhist texts. In this essay, I apply some Tibetan‐Buddhist fundamentals to our present context and argue that an understanding of how ignorance leads to suffering—and a sense of individual responsibility to overcome personal ignorance—is direly needed in our present context. I am by no means claiming to offer a fix‐all for everything wrong in America, but I hope that popularizing concepts from an ancient yet evolving philosophy will help us deal with public and personal health in manageable and practicable ways.
Ovarian mucinous cystadenoma causing acute urinary retention
Authors: Pulvino John S. , Resnick Elena , Wax Joseph R.
Published: March 2021

Acute urinary retention rarely occurs in women, and is only infrequently caused by a pelvic mass. We describe a case of acute urinary retention caused by a large ovarian mucinous cystadenoma. Point of care ultrasound characterized and localized the lesion, while computerized tomography demonstrated the anatomic distortions resulting in urinary retention. The patient's symptoms resolved immediately following a laparoscopic right salpingo‐oophorectomy with complete tumor removal.
Aortic closure signal length on doppler echocardiography differentiates aortic patient‐prosthesis mismatch from prosthetic stenosis
Authors: Ali Thara , Garshick Michael S. , Saric Muhamed , Skolnick Adam H.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic potential of the aortic closure (A2) signal length on Doppler echocardiography in distinguishing aortic patient‐prosthesis mismatch (PPM) from prosthetic stenosis among patients with elevated gradients over bioprosthetic valves.

Methods

The A2 signal length was retrospectively measured for 150 patients with bioprosthetic aortic valves (50 with PPM, 50 with prosthetic stenosis, and 50 with normally functioning valves) from transthoracic echocardiograms performed at NYU Langone Health between 01/01/2012 and 08/01/2018.

Results

Mean A2 signal length was shorter among patients with PPM (11.1 ms ± 5.2 ms), than among those with prosthetic stenosis (21.1 ms ± 6.0 ms), P < .001 and controls (21.7 ms ± 7.4 ms), P < .001. There was no difference in A2 signal length between prosthetic stenosis and controls. The A2 signal length yielded an AUC of 0.89 (95% CI 0.82‐0.95) for predicting PPM over prosthetic stenosis.

Conclusion

Among patients with bioprosthetic aortic valves, the length of the A2 signal on Doppler echocardiography is shorter in PPM than in prosthetic stenosis and normally functioning valves. The A2 signal length may represent a novel metric to distinguish PPM from prosthetic stenosis.
Determinants of reach counts on medical social media: Evidence from a facebook community page metrics
Authors: Nishioka Daisuke , Tsuboya Toru
Published: March 2021

Sharing medical information using social media became popular. We aimed to identify what sort of posts can increase reach counts. We used metrics data of 40 posts on the Japan Primary Care Association Commission on Social Determinants of Health (JPCA‐CSDH) Facebook community page. The most popular post was the one about the position paper on health inequality (Mie‐statement). The video posts significantly earned 175% more reach counts (vs posts only with letters). Each one percent word counts increase was associated with a 31% increase in reach counts. Videos and more words may deliver medical information effectively.
Weaning children from prolonged enteral nutrition: A survey of practice on behalf of the French Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
Authors: Dipasquale Valeria , Lecoeur Katia , Aumar Madeleine , Guimber Dominique , Coopman Stéphanie , Nicolas Audrey , Lecoufle Audrey , Van Malleghem Audrey , Turck Dominique , Ley Delphine , Gottrand Frédéric
Published: March 2021

Background

No consensus currently exists on tube‐weaning practice worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe tube‐weaning practice (indications and modalities) of a panel of pediatric gastroenterologists involved in the management of prolonged enteral nutrition (EN).

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey of pediatric gastroenterologists involved in the management of children receiving prolonged (>3 months) EN who were likely to be weaned was conducted. A questionnaire containing 24 questions was disseminated to the French Speaking Group of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition members. The association between weaning practice and the experience of respondents was investigated.

Results

In total, 311 professionals were approached, and 64 questionnaires were completed (response rate 21%). Nearly all respondents (n = 61, 95%) reported using individualized weaning programs. Weaning attempts were performed more frequently at home, and follow‐up was performed in the outpatient clinic (97%) by progressive EN volume reduction (83%). Inpatient weaning was performed by only 28% of participants. The choice of the setting was predominantly (59%) based on parental request. Management and follow‐up involved mainly the referring pediatric gastroenterologist and the dietitian. Fifty‐one (80%) of the respondents experienced ≥1 weaning failure.

Conclusions

This is one of only a few studies examining real‐life pediatric tube‐weaning practices. Considerable practice variation between centers was observed; some of the common practices included the setting of weaning (outpatient vs inpatient) and the eligibility criteria. Increasing knowledge about weaning modalities is the starting point for the design of consensual standardized programs.
Lung Ultrasound Findings in Patients Hospitalized With COVID‐19
Authors: Kumar Andre , Weng Yingjie , Duanmu Youyou , Graglia Sally , Lalani Farhan , Gandhi Kavita , Lobo Viveta , Jensen Trevor , Chung Sukyung , Nahn Jeffrey , Kugler John
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Lung ultrasound (LUS) can accurately diagnose several pulmonary diseases, including pneumothorax, effusion, and pneumonia. LUS may be useful in the diagnosis and management of COVID‐19.

Methods

This study was conducted at two United States hospitals from 3/21/2020 to 6/01/2020. Our inclusion criteria included hospitalized adults with COVID‐19 (based on symptomatology and a confirmatory RT‐PCR for SARS‐CoV‐2) who received a LUS. Providers used a 12‐zone LUS scanning protocol. The images were interpreted by the researchers based on a pre‐developed consensus document. Patients were stratified by clinical deterioration (defined as either ICU admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death within 28 days from the initial symptom onset) and time from symptom onset to their scan.

Results

N = 22 patients (N = 36 scans) were included. Eleven (50%) patients experienced clinical deterioration. Among N = 36 scans, only 3 (8%) were classified as normal. The remaining scans demonstrated B‐lines (89%), consolidations (56%), pleural thickening (47%), and pleural effusion (11%). Scans from patients with clinical deterioration demonstrated higher percentages of bilateral consolidations (50 versus 15%; P = .033), anterior consolidations (47 versus 11%; P = .047), lateral consolidations (71 versus 29%; P = .030), pleural thickening (69 versus 30%; P = .045), but not B‐lines (100 versus 80%; P = .11). Abnormal findings had similar prevalences between scans collected 0–6 days and 14–28 days from symptom onset.

Discussion

Certain LUS findings may be common in hospitalized COVID‐19 patients, especially for those that experience clinical deterioration. These findings may occur anytime throughout the first 28 days of illness. Future efforts should investigate the predictive utility of these findings on clinical outcomes.
Highly porous tissue scaffolds based on cyclic acetals with tunable hydrophilicity and degradation behavior
Authors: Wang Kemin , Kang Liangfa , Lu Yuhui , Zhu Qifan , Jiang Shan , Yin Ruixue
Published: March 2021

Biodegradable cyclic acetal‐based porous scaffolds without acidic by‐products upon hydrolytic degradation are very promising in tissue engineering. However, most cyclic acetal based crosslinked polymer networks mainly utilized (meth) acrylates as reactive moieties for crosslinking. Development of cyclic acetal based crosslinked polymer networks without (meth) acrylate terminal groups and fabrication of cyclic acetal based high‐porous scaffolds are still challenging. In this study, a novel cyclic acetal monomer with carbonic acid allyl ester terminal groups was synthesized and a series of high‐porous scaffolds with tunable swelling ability and degradation rate were fabricated by thiol‐ene photopolymerization combined with low‐temperature phase‐separation method. The obtained scaffolds exhibited high porosity of 78%–89%. The average pore size and porosity of porous scaffolds increased with the increase of solvent content during scaffold fabrication. The introduction of PEG chains into scaffolds had a slight influence on the pore size, but can significantly enhance the swelling ability and hydrolytic degradation rate of resulted scaffolds. MTT assay and cell adhesion experiments indicated that the scaffolds are non‐toxic toward L929 cells and had good in vitro biocompatibility. The proposed cyclic acetal based high porous scaffolds with tunable hydrophilicity and degradation behavior have great potential in tissue engineering application.
Xanthan‐Based Hydrogel for Stable and Efficient Quasi‐Solid Truly Aqueous Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell with Cobalt Mediator
Authors: Galliano Simone , Bella Federico , Bonomo Matteo , Giordano Fabrizio , Grätzel Michael , Viscardi Guido , Hagfeldt Anders , Gerbaldi Claudio , Barolo Claudia
Published: March 2021

Aqueous dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are emerging as a promising alternative to enhance both the lifetime and environmental friendliness of traditional DSSCs. Herein, a cobalt‐based, jellified (with xanthan gum) aqueous electrolyte, leading to a valuable efficiency exceeding 4% (VOC = 847 mV, JSC = 6.73 mA cm−2, fill factor =  74%), is reported. Design of experiment is used to precisely and significantly study, at a multivariate level, the effects produced by the Co2+ concentration, Co2+/Co3+ ratio, and xanthan gum amount modifications on the overall photovoltaic parameters of lab‐scale solar cells.
Ambient Inkjet‐Printed High‐Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells: Manipulating the Spreading and Crystallization Behaviors of Picoliter Perovskite Droplets
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Chen Shi , Wang Xingzhu , Wang Deng , Li Yan , Ai Qian , Sun Xiyu , Chen Jiabang , Li Yang , Jiang Xiongzhuo , Yang Shihe , Xu Baomin
Published: March 2021

Drop‐on‐demand inkjet‐printing has the advantages of high cost‐effectiveness and powerful patterning ability, which can be a promising technique for perovskite pattern deposition. However, by far most of the reported works using inkjet‐printing for perovskite films fabrication are printing solvent‐rich wet precursor layers on the high‐temperature meso‐TiO2 substrate, and subsequently require a vacuum‐assisted thermal annealing process to enhance the crystallization of perovskite precursor, which largely elevates fabrication cost and process complexity. Herein, a heat‐assisted inkjet‐printing process is developed to directly print compact and uniform crystalline perovskite films on the planar PEDOT:PSS substrate under ambient condition. The effects of precursor composition, printing temperature, solvent system, and, especially, the printing parameters on the final morphology and microstructure of the printed perovskite films are systematically studied for the first time and the related crystal growth models are revealed, which provide a constructive guidance for the future studies on ambient inkjet‐printed perovskite films and devices. Based on these studies, a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.6% for the ambient printed PSC devices is achieved. This work provides a reliable and cost‐effective approach for the scalable fabrication of perovskite films with a low material consumption.
Isolation and Physico‐chemical Characterization of Triticum Decocum Starch
Authors: Mosisa Balisa , Belete Anteneh , Gebre‐Mariam Tsige
Published: March 2021

Ethiopian oat (Triticum decocum) starch has been isolated and examined for its chemical composition and physicochemical properties. The proximate composition of the starch on a dry weight basis is found to be 0.23% ash, 0.26% protein, 1.54% fat, and 56.31% starch. The total amylose content is 28.4% with 20.11% apparent amylose and 29.19% lipid complexed amylose. SEM showed oval, spherical shaped granules. The particle size distributions of the starch showed monomodal normal particle size distribution with the average volumetric particle diameters being about 23.03 µm, and specific surface area 0.7186 m2 g−1. XRD showed a pattern that is typical of A‐type with a distinctive maximum peak at around 17° 2θ. At all relative humidities, its water sorption properties resemble that of maize starch. It has unique swelling power and solubility in water at different temperatures. Viscosity curves of 10% of starch paste showed a peak viscosity of 1926cP. Its cold paste viscosity and hot paste viscosity are 4236 and 1720 cP, respectively. The breakdown and set back viscosities of Ethiopian oat starch are 206 and 2647cP, respectively. The FTIR showed the characteristic features of prominent starch peaks. Physicochemical characteristics of the oat starch have shown that it has similar properties with maize starch which could make it fit for use in food and pharmaceutical industries, especially in the area where oat is produced as endogenous crop like in Ethiopia.