bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutrition of neonates and infants with severe congenital heart disease - the review of the literature
Authors: Sałata Piotr , Szczuraszek Paulina , Szczuraszek Hugo , Bętkowska Paulina , Tomkiewicz Michał , Licak Gabriela , Tomkiewicz Julia , Żuchnik Magda , Olko Paweł , Rybkowska Agnieszka
Published: March 2023

CHD is the most common birth defect with an incidence of 9 per 1,000 live births. The severity of the disease and the choice of treatment depend on the underlying anomaly. Despite advances in medical and surgical treatment that have led to more children with CHD reaching adulthood, disorders such as intestinal dysfunction, poor nutrition, and growth failure are still common in infants with CHD. Increased metabolic demand, decreased caloric intake, malabsorption, genetic factors, and fluid restriction can all result in an energy imbalance that negatively impacts morbidity and mortality in these patients. On the other hand, malnutrition is an important risk factor for adverse postoperative consequences. The state of nutrition affects growth and development, wound healing and the functioning of the immune system. Malnutrition affects both short-term and long-term postoperative outcomes. Recurrent infections caused by impaired immune system function and delayed healing of surgical wounds are considered short-term effects, while impaired growth, physical and cognitive development are seen as long-term effects. High postoperative mortality and morbidity, such as increased rates of hospitalization, delayed growth, prolonged recovery time, and longer hospital stays are associated with preoperative malnutrition. Appropriate nutrition protocols tailored to the requirements of patients with congenital heart disease help to improve short and long-term treatment outcomes. Nutritional and metabolic changes are age-dependent, and since this is a high-risk population, enteral and/or parenteral nutrition is difficult. Sources of increased metabolic demand in CHD include greater workload on the heart, pulmonary hypertension, and increased catecholamine secretion.
Urinary tract infection in an older patient: a case study and review
Authors: Read Haley , Mortimore Gerri
Published: March 2023

This article will discuss and reflect on a case study involving the prescribing of nitrofurantoin, by a non-medical prescriber, for a suspected symptomatic uncomplicated urinary tract infection in a patient living in a care home. The focus will be around the consultation and decision-making process of prescribing and the difficulties faced when dealing with frail, uncommunicative patients. This article will explore and critique the evidence-base, local and national guidelines, and primary research around the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nitrofurantoin, a commonly prescribed medication. Consideration of the legal, ethical and professional issues when prescribing in a non-medical capacity will also be sought, concluding with a review of the continuing professional development required to influence future prescribing decisions relating to the case study.

Urinary tract infections are common in older people. Haley Read and Gerri Mortimore describe the decision making process in the case of an older patient with a UTI
Breastfeeding and respiratory syncytial virus
Authors: Winter George
Published: March 2023

George Winter looks at recent research into the impact breastfeeding can have on the prevention of severe respiratory syncytial virus in infants
Outcome Analysis of Arthroscopic Single Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Semitendinosus and Gracilis as Quadrupled Graft in Adults – A Case Series Study
Authors: Ponnurangam Manikandan , Palani Murali , Arumugam Sudharsan
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is the common knee injury consequent to contact sports. There are different techniques recommended for the ACL reconstruction, with different graft materials. The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional outcome of arthroscopic single bundle ACL reconstruction using hamstring tendon graft in ACL deficient knees in adults. Materials and Methods: Between 2014 and 2017, a prospective study was conducted in Thanjavur Medical College on 10 ACL deficient patients. All patients were evaluated preoperatively using the Lysholm and Gillquist score and IKDC – 2000 score. All patients underwent arthroscopic single bundle ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon graft, which was fixed with an endo-button CL fixation system on the femoral side and an interference screw on tibial side. They were advised a regular rehabilitation protocol. All patients were evaluated post-operatively at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and a year by same assessment scores. Results: Ten patients were available for follow up for a period of 6 months to 2 years. The mean follow-up period was 10.5 months. When compared with their respective pre-operative knee assessment scores, it was found that a definite improvement was there in their knee function. The results were good to excellent in 80% patients, fair in 10%, and poor in 10% cases. Conclusion: For young active adults, single bundle reconstruction by arthroscopic methods gives acceptable results. The problems which are faced post-operatively can be again settled arthroscopically. A long-term follow-up of these cases is a must to analyze if there is degeneration that happened in the time between injury and ligament reconstruction. Keywords: ACL reconstruction, hamstring graft, lysholm and gillquist score.
Rare Case of Ochronosis with Fracture of Intracapsular Neck of Femur and Scoliosis: A Case Report
Authors: - Arvind , Singh Gurchetan , Sudarshan Pavan , Nath Nirjal
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Ochronosis is a rare syndrome caused by accumulation of homogentisic acid in connective tissue due to deficiency of enzyme homogentisic acid oxidase. It characterized by blue-black pigmentation connective tissues such as sclera, cartilage of ear, and synovium of joints and it causes destruction of joints cartilage and early arthritis. Urine becomes dark coloured on prolonged standing. Some patient may develop rare cardiac manifestation due to accumulation of homogentisic acid on valves. Case Report: A 56-year-old female admitted with neck of femur fracture after history of fall at home. The patient was having chronic back ache and knee pain. Plain radiograph of knee and spine showed severe arthritic changes. Exposure during surgery was difficult due to hard and brittle tendons and capsule of joint. Femur head and acetabulum cartilage appeared dark brown. Dark brown pigmentation of sclera and hands was found on clinical examination postoperatively. Conclusion: Patients with ochronosis usually develop early osteoarthritis and spondylosis which should be differentiated from other causes of early arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis and seronegative arthritis. It leads to destruction of joint cartilage and weaking subchondral bone which leads to pathological fracture. And due to stiffness of soft-tissue around joint exposure during surgery can be challenging. Keywords: Fracture neck of femur, dark brown cartilage, arthritis, pathological fracture, ochronosis.
Agricultural Rotavator Induced Polytrauma in a 11-years-old Child – A Case Report
Authors: Godbole Rajashree , Sodhai Vivek M , Tilak Neha , Gokhale Nikhil , Otiv Sunil
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Agricultural polytrauma injuries in children are rare. Rotating blades of a tractor can cause devastating injuries. Case Report: An 11-year-old male child presented with severe facial avulsion injuries, degloving injury of left lower limb, grade IIIB compound left tibia shaft fracture with a large butterfly fragment, and closed right tibia shaft fracture. General anesthesia through tracheostomy intubation was given. Simultaneous surgical intervention for the face and limbs was performed by a team of experts. The facial injury was debrided and repaired. After thorough debridement, compound left tibia fracture fixation was performed with two interfragmentary screws and neutralizing ankle-spanning external fixator. The closed right tibia shaft fracture was treated with closed elastic intramedullary nailing. Simultaneous debridement of degloving injuries over both thighs was performed and wound closure was done. Subsequently, the patient underwent debridement of wounds and vacuum-assisted closure 3 times with split skin grafting for the left leg. All fractures healed well at 6 months and the child was able to do all activities without any functional limitations. Conclusion: Agricultural injuries in Children can be devastating and should be managed using a multidisciplinary approach at a tertiary care center. A tracheostomy is a viable option for securing the airway in severe facial avulsion injuries. In a hemodynamically stable child, definitive fixation can be performed in a polytrauma situation and an external fixator can be used as a definitive implant in an open long bone fracture. Keywords: Agricultural injury, compound fracture, external fixation, facial avulsion injury, orthoplastic approach, pediatric polytrauma.
Episiotomy-assisted Incarcerated Femoral Nail Removal: Technical Note
Authors: Beenfeldt Davison , Johnson Pierce , Watts Chad , Shannon Steven , Swanson David , Althausen Peter
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Incarceration of intramedullary nails can pose a significant challenge. There are many reported techniques of nail removal, but when these fail, it can be difficult to determine how to proceed. Here, it is shown that a proximal femoral episiotomy can be used with great effect. Case Report: 64-year-old male developed hip arthritis. The patient had a solid antegrade femoral nail placed 22 years ago that required removal for a hip arthroplasty. A proximal femoral episiotomy-assisted approach was used with good results and patient outcome. Conclusion: There are several well described techniques to assist with incarcerated nail removal that all trauma surgeons should be familiar with. Proximal femoral episiotomy is a useful technique, every surgeon should have in their arsenal. Keywords: Hardware removal, episiotomy, incarcerated femoral nail, hip arthroplasty.
Infection of Baker’s Cyst without Bacteremia, Sepsis, or Extraneous Source: A Case Report
Authors: Pruthi Saksham , Simon Karissa , Tersteeg Megan , Nahal Chadi , Patel Anisha , Revak Thomas
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Baker’s cysts are benign fluid-filled cysts that commonly form around knee joints which typically resolve spontaneously. Infection of baker’s cysts is uncommon, but most often associated with septic arthritis or bacteremia. We describe a unique case of an infected Baker’s cyst that presented without bacteremia, septic knee, or external source of infection. This is a rare manifestation that has not been described in the current literature. Case Presentation: This is a case of a 46 year-old woman who developed an infected Baker’s cyst without bacteremia or septic arthritis. She initially presented with the right knee pain, swelling, and limited range of motion. Blood work and synovial fluid aspiration of her right knee showed no source of infection. The patient subsequently developed erythema and tenderness over her right knee. This prompted MRI imaging that demonstrated a complex Baker’s cyst. The patient later developed a fever, tachycardia, and worsening anion-gap metabolic-acidosis. Aspiration of the fluid collection was performed and revealed purulent fluid which grew pansensitive Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, blood and knee aspiration cultures remained negative. The patient was treated with antibiotics and debridement procedures and her symptoms/infection resolved. Conclusion: Given that isolated infections of Baker’s cysts are rare, the localized aspect of this infection makes this case quite unique. Development of an infected Baker’s cyst after negative aspiration cultures, combined with the presence of systemic symptoms including fever, without evidence of systemic spread, has not been seen before in the literature to our knowledge. The unique presentation of this case is important for future analysis of Baker’s cysts as it introduces the possibility of localized cyst infections as a possible diagnosis for physicians to consider. Keywords: Baker’s cyst, knee, infection
Making presidential re-elections indefinite: a psychoanalytic contribution to the case of the Ecuadorian Citizens’ Revolution
Authors: Espindola Ernesto
Published: March 2023

President Rafael Correa (2007–17) was the leader of the Ecuadorian Citizens’ Revolution advanced by his movement Alianza País. Although a former critic of indefinite presidential re-elections, in 2014 Correa asked his bloc of parliamentarians to abolish presidential term limits. His request was approved and the constitution was amended. How can we account for Alianza País’ sudden decision to abolish presidential term limits, considering it had ratified these limits as recently as 2008? This article conducts a discourse analysis of the argument in favour of indefinite presidential re-elections in Ecuador. Courtesy of Lacanian psychoanalysis, in this article I argue that the Citizens’ Revolution’s shift can be fruitfully explained if we consider how the transgressive logic of enjoyment operates in ideology.
The borderline as diagnostician: an autø/gnøstic reading of a history of binaries
Authors: Lewis Francesca
Published: March 2023

This article begins with two situated knowledges drawn from my lived experience as a feminist researcher with a ‘borderline personality disorder’ diagnosis. The first knowledge is that diagnostic and medicalised ways of framing experience (particularly the experience labelled ‘BPD’) can constitute a kind of cruel optimism, which arises ‘when the object that draws your attachment actively impedes the aim that brought you to it initially’ and becomes ‘an obstacle to your flourishing’ (Berlant, 2011). The second knowledge is that while the label ‘BPD’ is stigmatising, pathologising and highly gendered, it refers not only to a real experience but to valuable ways of being/becoming and knowing. Here I make the case for recasting the borderline not as a patient to be diagnosed but, as Gilles Deleuze suggests, as a diagnostician whose ‘symptoms’ are the traces of unjust and harmful frameworks that work upon us all. Building on the important work of Margaret Price, whose writing on psychosocial disabilities and epistemic injustice produced the concept of counter-diagnosis, I have developed a methodology I call autø/gnøsis. Using a new materialist approach (Deleuze, Braidotti, Barad), autø/gnøsis thinks through and with the borderline self and borderline knowledges, while also acknowledging the shifting, unsteady void at the centre of these concepts.
Liberty and the neoclassical fallacy
Authors: Weingast Barry R.
Published: March 2023

Does liberty matter for economics? To address this question, I distinguish among three different types of liberty: Adam Smith’s, the neoclassical, and the so-called “classical liberal.” They differ in that the neoclassical and the classical liberal perspectives presume the existence, typically without noting it, of the four conditions that comprise the foundation of liberty, namely, secure property rights, enforcement of contracts, absence of government predation, and security. In contrast, Adam Smith sought to explain these foundations. In this article—an extraliterary review of one of the central themes of Acemoglu and Robinson (2019)—I draw the implications of Smith’s approach, and I explain why neoclassical economics—which takes the foundations of liberty as given—is unable to understand the work of Smith on this topic and, hence, on economic development. I also show that the neoclassical and the classical liberal approaches rest on a foundation of magic: they both presume the foundational conditions just noted but fail to explain how they arise. Put simply, the neoclassical approach has no explanation for the origin of liberty or of the mechanisms that sustain it. If markets require the four conditions of the foundation of liberty, then a complete explanation of the origin and development of markets must include an explanation of how these conditions come to hold. The Smithian economic perspective is especially important for today’s developing countries, most of which, at best, struggle to create the four foundational assumptions of liberty.
Toward photonic–electronic convergence based on heterogeneous platform of merging lithium niobate into silicon
Authors: Wang Jing , Yang Haoru , Xiong Nina , Zhang Muyan , Qian Na , Yi Sicheng , Xu Shaofu , Zou Weiwen
Published: March 2023

The rapid development of fabrication techniques has boosted the resurgence of integrated photonics based on lithium niobate (LN). While thin-film LN is available and has been a promising photonic platform owing to its superior material properties, it is held back by its non-compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes and the lack of high-density scaling possibilities. Silicon (Si), despite its less favorable intrinsic properties, was the dominant platform for photonic devices with compact footprints, high density, low cost, and high volume. By embedding thin-film LN into the Si platform, heterogeneous Si/LN photonic devices can be integrated on the same chip, simultaneously leveraging the advantages of the two different materials. In parallel with the development of photonic devices, research in photonic–electronic integrated circuits (PEICs) has flourished. This review begins with the material properties of LN and fabrication approaches for heterogeneous integration. We then introduce various photonic devices involving different functionalities. After that, the advances in photonic–electronic convergence are presented. Taking inspiration from PEICs using Si, we envision the contribution of thin-film LN conjunct with Si in the future PEICs. Finally, some conclusions and challenges are discussed.
Multimode hybridizations in surface plasmon resonances excited in terahertz dipole cavities
Authors: Kaur Sukhvinder , Rane Shreeya , Varshney Ravindra K. , Roy Chowdhury Dibakar
Published: March 2023

Inventive design variations in subwavelength plasmonic structures can excite unconventional surface plasmon resonances (SPRs) that can enormously contribute to developing futuristic terahertz (THz) devices and components. Therefore, in this work, we demonstrate multimode resonance features in SPR characteristics through the introduction of split-ring resonators (SRRs) in plasmonic dipole cavities operating in the THz domain. Here, we propose a hybrid plasmonic system, where a single SRR is placed in the middle of a dipole cavity sustaining SPRs in the THz domain. Further, the SRR is displaced in orthogonal directions (horizontally as well as vertically) from the center of the cavity introducing asymmetry in the hybrid SRR–dipole cavity system. In such a way, introduced asymmetry resulted in diverse transmission responses with the realization of multiple SPR peaks. Such multi-SPR features are explicated using two-state and three-state mode hybridization schemes, which arise due to the near-field electric coupling between the SRR and the dipole cavity. Our findings based on multimode SPR characteristics excited in planar dipole cavities can contribute to realizing compact biosensor, absorber, and nonlinear THz devices operating simultaneously in multiple frequency bands.
Low cross-sensitivity and sensitivity-enhanced FBG sensor interrogated by an OCMI-based three-arm interferometer
Authors: Xiao Yunhao , Wang Yiping , Zhu Dan , Liu Qiang , Shi Jingzhan
Published: March 2023

An FBG sensor interrogated by an optical carrier microwave interferometry (OCMI)-based three-arm Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. In our sensing scheme, the interferogram generated by interfering the three-arm-MZI middle arm with the sensing arm and the reference arm respectively is superimposed to produce a Vernier effect to increase the sensitivity of the system. The simultaneous interrogation of the sensing fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and the reference FBG by the OCMI-based three-arm-MZI provides an ideal solution to the cross-sensitivity problems (e.g. temperature vs. strain) associated with conventional sensors that produce the Vernier effect by cascading optical elements. Experimental results show that when applied to strain sensing, the OCMI-three-arm-MZI based FBG sensor is 17.5 times more sensitive compared to the two-arm interferometer based FBG sensor. And the temperature sensitivity is reduced from 371.858 KHz/°C to 1.455 KHz/°C. The prominent advantages of the sensor, including high resolution, high sensitivity, and low cross-sensitivity, make it a great potential for high-precision health monitoring in extreme environments.
Symmetry breaking of dark-mode metamaterials for voltage-switchable infrared absorption
Authors: Shrewsbury Bo K. , Audhkhasi Romil , Povinelli Michelle L.
Published: March 2023

We propose electrically reconfigurable absorbers with switchable narrowband resonances in the infrared. Our absorbers consist of two coupled, identical resonators and support a dark supermode. We show that by dynamically breaking the symmetry of the system, the dark supermode can be made to couple to an incoming plane wave, producing a narrowband absorption peak in the spectrum. We use this effect to design and optimize absorbers consisting of coupled metal-insulator-metal resonators based on gallium arsenide. We show that the switching functionality of the designed device is robust to fabrication imperfections, and that it additionally serves as a spectrally tunable absorber. Our results suggest exciting possibilities for designing next-generation reconfigurable absorbers that could benefit several applications, such as energy harvesting and sensing.
High-efficiency coupled-cavity optical frequency comb generation
Authors: Mrozowski M. P. , Jeffers J. , Pritchard J. D.
Published: March 2023

We present a high efficiency source of picosecond pulses derived from a dual cavity optical frequency comb generator. This approach overcomes the limitations of single cavity comb generators that are restricted to efficiencies of a few percent. We achieve picosecond pulses with GHz repetition rates offering over a hundred times higher output efficiency than a single cavity design and demonstrate tuning of pulse width by varying the modulation depth of the intra-cavity electro-optic modulator. These results provide a wavelength-agnostic design with a compact footprint for the development of portable picosecond pulsed laser systems for timing, metrology, and LIDAR applications.
Quantencomputing als Basistechnologie für den nächsten Konjunkturzyklus
Authors: Fasnacht Daniel , Straube Christian
Published: March 2023

Für den nächsten Konjunkturzyklus benötigen wir viel mehr Rechenkapazität und Computer mit Transistortechnologie kommen an ihre Grenzen. Es sind also neue Innovationen gefragt. Der Quantencomputer, der das binäre System aushebelt und nicht auf Mikroprozessoren aus Silizium basiert, könnte eine Lösung sein. Diese Technologie wird sich exponentiell weiter entwickeln und nachhaltige Auswirkungen auf Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft haben. Speziell die Quantenkommunikation bietet eine vollständig neuartige Möglichkeit verteilter Rechenleistung, indem sie erlaubt Quantencomputer über Quantenkanäle zu vernetzen und so intrinsisch sichere Kommunikation zu gewährleisten. Dieser Artikel macht begreiflich, wie Quantencomputer neue Phänomene ausnutzen, die in der klassischen Physik nicht auftreten. Entlang vier identifizierter Haupteinsatzgebiete (Optimierung, Simulation, Maschinelles Lernen und Kryptographie) beschreiben wir Anwendungsmöglichkeiten in verschiedenen Branchen. Wir erklären wie technische Herausforderungen das Potenzial noch zurückhalten und wie der Quantencomputer als Ergänzung zu traditionellen Computersystemen einen großen Beitrag leisten kann. Entsprechend müssen Unternehmen nicht unbedingt in Quantencomputer investieren, sondern in deren Nutzung. Quantum als Service kann ein erster Schritt für visionäre Unternehmer sein, um sich damit vertraut zu machen und frühzeitig Wettbewerbsvorteile zu erlangen.
Combining phylogeny and coevolution improves the inference of interaction partners among paralogous proteins
Authors: Gandarilla-Pérez Carlos A. , Pinilla Sergio , Bitbol Anne-Florence , Weigt Martin
Published: March 2023

Predicting protein-protein interactions from sequences is an important goal of computational biology. Various sources of information can be used to this end. Starting from the sequences of two interacting protein families, one can use phylogeny or residue coevolution to infer which paralogs are specific interaction partners within each species. We show that these two signals can be combined to improve the performance of the inference of interaction partners among paralogs. For this, we first align the sequence-similarity graphs of the two families through simulated annealing, yielding a robust partial pairing. We next use this partial pairing to seed a coevolution-based iterative pairing algorithm. This combined method improves performance over either separate method. The improvement obtained is striking in the difficult cases where the average number of paralogs per species is large or where the total number of sequences is modest.
Behaviour change interventions improve maternal and child nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Authors: Watson Daniella , Mushamiri Patience , Beeri Paula , Rouamba Toussaint , Jenner Sarah , Proebstl Simone , Kehoe Sarah H , Ward Kate A , Barker Mary , Lawrence Wendy ,   the INPreP Study Group
Published: March 2023

Evidence that nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions can improve maternal and child nutrition status in sub-Saharan Africa is inconclusive. Using behaviour change theory and techniques in intervention design may increase effectiveness and make outcomes more predictable. This systematic review aimed to determine whether interventions that included behaviour change functions were effective. Six databases were searched systematically, using MeSH and free-text terms, for articles describing nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive behaviour change interventions published in English until January 2022. Titles, abstracts and full-text papers were double-screened. Data extraction and quality assessments followed Centre for Reviews and Dissemination guidelines. Behaviour change functions of interventions were mapped onto the COM-B model and Behaviour Change Wheel. PROSPERO registered (135054). The search yielded 1193 articles: 79 articles met inclusion criteria, ranging from low (n = 30) to high (n = 11) risk of bias. Many that applied behaviour change theory, communication or counselling resulted in significant improvements in infant stunting and wasting, household dietary intake and maternal psychosocial measures. Interventions with >2 behaviour change functions (including persuasion, incentivisation, environmental restructuring) were the most effective. We recommend incorporating behaviour change functions in nutrition interventions to improve maternal and child outcomes, specifically drawing on the Behaviour Change Wheel, COM-B model (SORT B recommendation). To enhance the designs of these interventions, and ultimately improve the nutritional and psychosocial outcomes for mothers and infants in sub-Saharan Africa, collaborations are recommended between behaviour change and nutrition experts, intervention designers, policy makers and commissioners to fund and roll-out multicomponent behaviour change interventions.
Detection of cytological abnormalities in urothelial cells from individuals previously exposed or currently infected with Schistosoma haematobium
Authors: Smith-Togobo Cecilia , Mprah Richard , Yeboah Evans Adamu , Anyidoho Harry Koku , Asigbe Dzifa , Afernorfe John Kwame , Ayroe Felix , Duedu Kwabena Obeng
Published: March 2023

Urinary schistosomiasis has long been associated with bladder cancer, but it is still not clear the mechanisms involved. Schistosoma haematobium causes injury and disruptions in the integrity of the urothelium. The cellular and immunologic responses to the infection lead to the formation of granulomata. The ability to use cellular morphological changes to predict the risk of developing bladder cancer following S. haematobium infection is thus important. This study assessed the cellular changes in the urine associated with schistosomiasis and the potential of routine urine being used as a risk predictor of the development of bladder cancer. Urine samples (160) were screened for the presence of S. haematobium ova. Smears stained with the Papanicolaou method were evaluated using light microscopy to determine the cell populations. A high prevalence (39.9%) of urinary schistosomiasis and haematuria (46.9%) was found among the participants. Polymorphonuclear cells, normal and reactive urothelial cells and lymphocytes were characteristic of S. haematobium infection. Squamous metaplastic cells (SMCs) were found in 48% and 47.1% of participants who have had past or current S. haematobium infection respectively, but were not found in participants who had no exposure to S. haematobium. These squamous metaplastic cells are in transition and are prone to malignant transformation when exposed to a carcinogenic agent. There is still a high burden of schistosomiasis in endemic communities in Ghana. by examining urine, one can find metaplastic cells and? dysplastic cells and thus predict cancer in SH-infested patients. Thus, routine urine cytology as a tool to monitor the risk of bladder cancer development is recommended.
Can SMEs benefit equally from supportive policies in China?
Authors: Zhang Wenqi , Wang Zuogong
Published: March 2023

This paper applies quantitative and narrative approaches to fiscal and financial policies of Chinese small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in order to study the support effect of macro policies on micro enterprises. As the first researchers to focus on the firm heterogeneity of SMEs’ policy effects, we show that the “flood irrigation” supportive policies for SMEs have not achieved the expected “help the weaker” effect. Non-state-owned SMEs and small(micro) enterprises have a low sense of policy gain, which is contrary to some “positive” research conclusions from China. The mechanism study found that “ownership” and “scale” discrimination suffered by non-state-owned and small(micro) enterprises in the financing process are key. We suggest the supportive policies for SMEs should shift from “flood” to “precise drip” irrigation. The policy benefits of non-state-owned, small and micro enterprises need to be emphasized. More targeted policies need to be studied and provided. Our findings shed new light on the formulation of supportive policies for SMEs.
Dear Pandemic: A topic modeling analysis of COVID-19 information needs among readers of an online science communication campaign
Authors: Golos Aleksandra M. , Guntuku Sharath Chandra , Piltch-Loeb Rachael , Leininger Lindsey J. , Simanek Amanda M. , Kumar Aparna , Albrecht Sandra S. , Dowd Jennifer Beam , Jones Malia , Buttenheim Alison M.
Published: March 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an “infodemic”–an overwhelming excess of accurate, inaccurate, and uncertain information. The social media-based science communication campaign Dear Pandemic was established to address the COVID-19 infodemic, in part by soliciting submissions from readers to an online question box. Our study characterized the information needs of Dear Pandemic’s readers by identifying themes and longitudinal trends among question box submissions.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of questions submitted from August 24, 2020, to August 24, 2021. We used Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling to identify 25 topics among the submissions, then used thematic analysis to interpret the topics based on their top words and submissions. We used t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding to visualize the relationship between topics, and we used generalized additive models to describe trends in topic prevalence over time.

Results

We analyzed 3839 submissions, 90% from United States-based readers. We classified the 25 topics into 6 overarching themes: ‘Scientific and Medical Basis of COVID-19,’ ‘COVID-19 Vaccine,’ ‘COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies,’ ‘Society and Institutions,’ ‘Family and Personal Relationships,’ and ‘Navigating the COVID-19 Infodemic.’ Trends in topics about viral variants, vaccination, COVID-19 mitigation strategies, and children aligned with the news cycle and reflected the anticipation of future events. Over time, vaccine-related submissions became increasingly related to those surrounding social interaction.

Conclusions

Question box submissions represented distinct themes that varied in prominence over time. Dear Pandemic’s readers sought information that would not only clarify novel scientific concepts, but would also be timely and practical to their personal lives. Our question box format and topic modeling approach offers science communicators a robust methodology for tracking, understanding, and responding to the information needs of online audiences.
Males’ perceptions and practices towards maternity care in rural southeast Nigeria: Policy implication of participatory action research for safe motherhood
Authors: Eze Irene Ifeyinwa , Ossai Edmund Ndudi , Akamike Ifeyinwa Chizoba , Okedo-Alex Ijeoma Nkem , Ogbonnaya Lawrence Ulu , Uneke Chigozie Jesse
Published: March 2023

Introduction

High maternal death is attributable to developing countries’ health systems and sociocultural factors This study assessed the effect of participatory-action research on males’ perception and practice towards maternity care and safe motherhood in rural southeast Nigeria.

Methods

A pre-post-intervention study design was employed to study 396 male partners of pregnant women selected through cluster sampling in rural communities in southeast Nigeria. Males’ perceptions and practices towards maternity care and safe motherhood were assessed using an interviewer-administered five-point Likert scale questionnaire. A community-participatory intervention was implemented comprising advocacy, and training of community volunteers, who then educated male partners of pregnant women on safe motherhood and facilitated emergency saving and transport schemes. A post-intervention assessment was conducted six months later, using the same questionnaire. Good perception and good practices were determined by mean scores >3.0. Continuous variables were summarised using mean and standard deviation, and categorical variables using frequencies and proportions. A comparison of the mean scores pre- and post-intervention mean scores were compared, and the mean difference was determined using paired T-test. Statistical significance was set at a p-value <0.05.

Results

The perception that male partners should accompany pregnant women for antenatal care had the least mean score at the pre-intervention stage, 1.92 (0.83). However, the mean score increased for most variables after the intervention (p<0.05). The mean score for maternity care practices increased post-intervention for accompanying pregnant women to antenatal care, facility delivery, and helping with household chores (p<0.001), with a composite mean difference of 0.36 (p<0.001). Birth preparedness/complication readiness practices–saving money, identifying transport, skilled providers, health facilities, blood donors and preparing birth kits, were good, with a composite mean score that increased from 3.68(0.99) at pre-intervention to 4.47(0.82) at post-intervention (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Males’ perceptions and practices towards safe motherhood improved after the intervention. This highlights that a community-participatory strategy can enhance males’ involvement in maternal health and should be explored. Male partners accompanying pregnant women to clinics should be advocated for inclusion in maternal health policy. Government should integrate community health influencers/promoters into the healthcare systems to help in the provision of health services.
The impact of vitamin D deficiency on some biochemical parameters and clinical outcome in Palestinian pregnant women during the first trimester
Authors: Mwafy Saleh Nazmy , Abed El- Nabi Safaa Ramadan , Laqqan Mohammed Marwan , Yassin Maged Mohamed
Published: March 2023

Background and aim

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread worldwide and associated with negative effects on maternal and neonatal health. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Material and methods

This case control study included 200 participants aged (18–40) years divided into two groups; 100 pregnant females at the first trimester as case group, attending the main general clinical centers in Gaza strip, Palestine and 100 apparently healthy non-pregnant females as control group. Vitamin D, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, thyroid stimulating hormone, parathyroid, and the autoantibodies specific for thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase in serum were measured in all mothers and statistically analyzed using SPSS version 21 software.

Results

Serum vitamin D, TSH, anti-TPO, and anti-TG levels were significantly decrease while, parathyroid levels were non-significantly decreased in the first trimester of pregnancy compered to control group. The levels of fT4 were significantly increased and level of fT3 were non significantly increased among pregnant mothers compered to control group. Analyses using Pearson correlation coefficients showed positive correlations between vitamin D with fT4, fT3, Anti-TPO with P -value < 0.05 and negative correlations with mother age, TSH, PTH with P-value < 0.05 in early pregnancy.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women in the first-trimester can be associated with thyroid, parathyroid parameters and thyroid autoantibodies with potential adverse consequences for overall health, emphasizing a routine monitoring and vitamin D supplementation prevention strategies to optimize maternal and fetal outcomes.
A new multiplex SARS-CoV-2 antigen microarray showed correlation of IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies from patients with COVID-19 disease severity and maintenance of relative IgA and IgM antigen binding over time
Authors: Berre Marie Le , Paulovčáková Terézia , Verissimo Carolina De Marco , Doyle Seán , Dalton John P. , Masterson Claire , Martínez Eduardo Ribes , Walsh Laura , Gormley Conor , Laffey John G. , McNicholas Bairbre , Simpkin Andrew J. , Kilcoyne Michelle
Published: March 2023

Zoonotic spillover of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to humans in December 2019 caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Serological monitoring is critical for detailed understanding of individual immune responses to infection and protection to guide clinical therapeutic and vaccine strategies. We developed a high throughput multiplexed SARS-CoV-2 antigen microarray incorporating spike (S) and nucleocapsid protein (NP) and fragments expressed in various hosts which allowed simultaneous assessment of serum IgG, IgA, and IgM responses. Antigen glycosylation influenced antibody binding, with S glycosylation generally increasing and NP glycosylation decreasing binding. Purified antibody isotypes demonstrated a binding pattern and intensity different from the same isotype in whole serum, probably due to competition from the other isotypes present. Using purified antibody isotypes from naïve Irish COVID-19 patients, we correlated antibody isotype binding to different panels of antigens with disease severity, with binding to the S region S1 expressed in insect cells (S1 Sf21) significant for IgG, IgA, and IgM. Assessing longitudinal response for constant concentrations of purified antibody isotypes for a patient subset demonstrated that the relative proportion of antigen-specific IgGs decreased over time for severe disease, but the relative proportion of antigen-specific IgA binding remained at the same magnitude at 5 and 9 months post-first symptom onset. Further, the relative proportion of IgM binding decreased for S antigens but remained the same for NP antigens. This may support antigen-specific serum IgA and IgM playing a role in maintaining longer-term protection, important for developing and assessing vaccine strategies. Overall, these data demonstrate the multiplexed platform as a sensitive and useful platform for expanded humoral immunity studies, allowing detailed elucidation of antibody isotypes response against multiple antigens. This approach will be useful for monoclonal antibody therapeutic studies and screening of donor polyclonal antibodies for patient infusions.
Prognostic value of epigenetic markers for canine mast cell cancer
Authors: Syed Shahzar , Knight Britta J. , Wood Geoffrey A. , Coomber Brenda Lynn
Published: March 2023

Canine Mast cell tumors (MCTs) constitute approximately 21% of all canine skin tumors. Despite the use of comprehensive grading systems, biological aggressiveness is sometimes difficult to predict, therefore there is a need for better prognostic markers. Progression in various cancers involves DNA hypermethylation, hypomethylation and epigenetic enzyme dysregulation. Therefore, global levels of 5-methylcytosine, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and associated enzymes DNMT1, and IDH1 expression may predict MCT aggressiveness. A tissue microarray (TMA) with cores from 244 different tumor samples from 189 dogs was immunolabelled and used to quantify the global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation levels as well as the levels of the enzymes involved in DNA methylation and their relationship with canine MCT outcome. From the immunolabelled TMA, H-scores were generated using QuPath (v0.1.2) and analyzed with associated patient data. High 5MC and DNMT1, and low IDH1 levels were associated with poorer outcome when looking at all canine MCT cases. High 5MC levels showed significance for shorter disease-free interval (DFI) in subcutaneous cases and high 5MC levels showed poorer DFI and overall survival (OS) in cases with Kiupel’s grading system high grade. Cases with grade II in Patnaik’s grading system showed better DFI with low levels of DNMT1 and better OS with low levels of 5MC and 5HMC. High levels of DNMT1 staining were also associated with shorter DFI for dermal MCTs. For cases that received adjuvant therapy in addition to surgery, all parameters except IDH1 were significantly associated with OS. Therefore, there is potential for DNA methylation status and levels of enzymes associated with DNA methylation pathways to better predict outcome in canine MCT, and to possibly influence treatment decisions.
Impact of the yeast S0/uS2-cluster ribosomal protein rpS21/eS21 on rRNA folding and the architecture of small ribosomal subunit precursors
Authors: Pöll Gisela , Griesenbeck Joachim , Tschochner Herbert , Milkereit Philipp
Published: March 2023

RpS0/uS2, rpS2/uS5, and rpS21/eS21 form a cluster of ribosomal proteins (S0-cluster) at the head-body junction near the central pseudoknot of eukaryotic small ribosomal subunits (SSU). Previous work in yeast indicated that S0-cluster assembly is required for the stabilisation and maturation of SSU precursors at specific post-nucleolar stages. Here, we analysed the role of S0-cluster formation for rRNA folding. Structures of SSU precursors isolated from yeast S0-cluster expression mutants or control strains were analysed by cryogenic electron microscopy. The obtained resolution was sufficient to detect individual 2’-O-methyl RNA modifications using an unbiased scoring approach. The data show how S0-cluster formation enables the initial recruitment of the pre-rRNA processing factor Nob1 in yeast. Furthermore, they reveal hierarchical effects on the pre-rRNA folding pathway, including the final maturation of the central pseudoknot. Based on these structural insights we discuss how formation of the S0-cluster determines at this early cytoplasmic assembly checkpoint if SSU precursors further mature or are degraded.
Urinary epidermal growth factor reflects vascular health in boys with either obesity or type 1 diabetes. A role for renin, or beyond?
Authors: Ledeganck Kristien J. , Van Eyck Annelies , Wouters Kristien , Vermeiren Eline , De Winter Benedicte Y. , Verhulst Stijn , Van Hoorenbeeck Kim , France Annick , Dotremont Hilde , den Brinker Marieke , Trouet Dominique
Published: March 2023

An increased blood pressure is a known comorbidity of both type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and obesity in children. Increasing evidence suggests a subtle interplay between epidermal growth factor (EGF) and renin along the juxtaglomerular system, regulating the impact of blood pressure on kidney health and the cardiovascular system. In this study, we investigated the relation between urinary EGF, serum renin and blood pressure in children with obesity or T1DM. 147 non-obese children with T1DM and 126 children with obesity, were included. Blood pressure was measured and mean arterial pressure (MAP) and the pulse pressure (PP) were calculated. Serum renin and urinary EGF levels were determined with a commercial ELISA kit. Partial Spearman rank correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression models were used to study the association between renin, the urinary EGF/urinary creatinine ratio and blood pressure parameters. The urinary EGF/urinary creatinine ratio is correlated with the SBP and the MAP in boys with obesity as well as in boys with T1DM. Multiple regression analysis showed that sex and pulse pressure in male subjects were found to be independently associated with renin. Sex, the presence of diabetes, age, the glomerular filtration rate and both pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure in male subjects were independently associated with urinary EGF/urinary creatinine. In conclusion, in boys with either obesity or diabetes, pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure are negatively associated with the functional integrity of the nephron, which is reflected by a decreased expression of urinary EGF.
The effects of face mask on speech production and its implication for forensic speaker identification-A cross-linguistic study
Authors: Geng Puyang , Lu Qimeng , Guo Hong , Zeng Jinhua
Published: March 2023

This study aims to understand the effects of face mask on speech production between Mandarin Chinese and English, and on the automatic classification of mask/no mask speech and individual speakers. A cross-linguistic study on mask speech between Mandarin Chinese and English was then conducted. Continuous speech of the phonetically balanced texts in both Chinese and English versions were recorded from thirty native speakers of Mandarin Chinese (i.e., 15 males and 15 females) with and without wearing a surgical mask. The results of acoustic analyses showed that mask speech exhibited higher F0, intensity, HNR, and lower jitter and shimmer than no mask speech for Mandarin Chinese, whereas higher HNR and lower jitter and shimmer were observed for English mask speech. The results of classification analyses showed that, based on the four supervised learning algorithms (i.e., Linear Discriminant Analysis, Naïve Bayes Classifier, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machine), undesirable performances (i.e., lower than 50%) in classifying the speech with and without a face mask, and highly-variable accuracies (i.e., ranging from 40% to 89.2%) in identifying individual speakers were achieved. These findings imply that the speakers tend to conduct acoustic adjustments to improve their speech intelligibility when wearing surgical mask. However, a cross-linguistic difference in speech strategies to compensate for intelligibility was observed that Mandarin speech was produced with higher F0, intensity, and HNR, while English was produced with higher HNR. Besides, the highly-variable accuracies of speaker identification might suggest that surgical mask would impact the general performance of the accuracy of automatic speaker recognition. In general, therefore, it seems wearing a surgical mask would impact both acoustic-phonetic and automatic speaker recognition approaches to some extent, thus suggesting particular cautions in the real-case practice of forensic speaker identification.