bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-grade vesicoureteral reflux in infants: Our experience with endoscopic subureteric injections
Authors: Al Hindi Saeed , Mubarak Mohamed , Al Aradi Husain
Published: October 2020

Background:

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is the most common urological anomaly in pediatric patients. Management options for VUR vary from continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP) to surgery via either endoscopic subureteric injection of a bulking agent or open anti-reflux surgery. In this study, we assess the efficacy of subureteric injections of Dextranomer/Hyaluronic acid Copolymer (Deflux) in managing primary VUR in infant patients with high-grade VUR.

Methods:

From 2010 to 2015, children less than 1-year-old with primary high-grade VUR were observed prospectively following the administration of endoscopic subureteric injections of Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer (Deflux). The diagnosis of VUR was based on MCUG, and all patients underwent a holistic clinical, laboratory, and radiological assessment before and after the intervention. Complete success was defined as the resolution of VUR on follow up 1 year post-operatively.

Results:

A total of 30 infants (50 renal units) with high-grade VUR (grades IV and V) were included in the study. The mean age at surgery was 6.3 ± 2.5 months. Most of the patients presented with a urinary tract infection (90%). Complete symptomatic relief was achieved in 27 patients (90%) at the first post-operative follow-up. Forty-four renal units received one injection, while six required a second injection as they did not meet our treatment success criteria. No patients required a third injection or referral for open surgery.

Conclusion:

Endoscopic injection of Dextranomer/Hyaluronic acid Copolymer (Deflux) at the vesicoureteral junction is an effective minimally invasive intervention to treat high grades VUR (IV–V) infants.
Physicochemical and FTIR spectroscopic analysis of fine fraction from a municipal solid waste dumpsite for potential reclamation of materials
Authors: Singh Ayush , Chandel Munish Kumar
Published: October 2020

Improper municipal solid waste management in the past has landed most of this waste in open dumps of India. This dumped waste has a negative effect on the environment and human health and needs to be reclaimed either for material/energy recovery or to create space for future waste management. Since nearly half of the waste in dumpsites can be classified as fine fraction, in-depth knowledge of its characteristics is required to reclaim these dumpsites successfully. In this study, we characterize fine fraction, <4 mm, aged 1–10 years old, obtained from Mulund dumpsite in Mumbai, using physicochemical and spectroscopic analysis. The study also highlights different valorization routes to reclaim the fine fraction. The fine fraction was ~45% in the dumpsite and increased with the age of the waste. Visual inspection revealed that fine fraction older than five years was relatively homogeneous compared with younger fine fraction. Furthermore, pH (7.4–7.8) and electrical conductivity (0.70–1.92 mS cm−1) of the fine fraction met the Indian MSW compost standards; however, heavy metal levels were higher than the proposed standards. The fine fraction also had a high concentration of metals like aluminium (11 g kg−1) and iron (78 g kg−1), indicating metal recovery potential. Furthermore, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy results show that the fine fraction had dominant inorganic peaks and became relatively homogeneous with age. The study proposes fine fraction use as a secondary resource; however, some prior treatment would be required based on the application.
Bride Price Payment and Justification of Sexual Violence Among Women in Ghana*These authors contributed equally to this work.
Authors: Kojo Oduro Joseph , Seidu Abdul-Aziz , Ameyaw Edward Kwabena , Sambah Francis , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , Budu Eugene , Appiah Francis , Baatiema Linus
Published: October 2020

Although insights on bride price and domestic violence have been explored in Ghana, very little is known about payment of bride price and the justification of sexual violence. We investigated the payment of bride price and justification of sexual violence among women ( N = 4,222) in Ghana, dwelling on the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Two binary logistic regression models were fitted. We adjusted for significant sociodemographic variables. The findings revealed that women whose partners had paid their bride price had higher odds [ OR = 1.54; CI = 1.174, 2.00] of justifying sexual violence, compared to those whose partners had not paid. We found that women with primary [AOR = 0.55; CI = 0.44–0.71] and secondary/higher [AOR = 0.47; CI = 0.36–0.60] levels of education had lower odds of accepting sexual violence. Women in the rich wealth quintile [AOR = 0.32; CI = 0.22, 0.46] had lower odds of justifying sexual violence. Our study has illustrated the need for women to appreciate that payment of bride price does not imply that their fundamental human rights have been bought by men, but they rather become partners. This information can form part of premarriage counselling and human rights initiatives by the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection. That is, the content of marriage counselling may be expanded to include issues on IPV, its implications, and legal consequences. Such information can develop personal realization and urge women to report any violent advances to the police and appropriate authorities for the required legal action to be taken. This may deter others to desist from violence perpetration against women. At the community level, chiefs and other leaders of high repute can be made anti-IPV ambassadors. The Ministry of Health and other nongovernmental anti-violence organizations can also collaborate to strengthen education on anti-sexual violence programs by using the mass media.
Book review: Biberman, Yelena, Gambling with Violence: State Outsourcing of War in Pakistan and India
Authors: Mehdi Syed Eesar
Published: October 2020

Biberman, Yelena, Gambling with Violence: State Outsourcing of War in Pakistan and India (Oxford University Press, 2019). pp. xv + 220, HB ₹1,295. ISBN: 9780190099800.
Anterior Esthetic Rehabilitation of an Alveolar Cleft Using Novel Minimally Invasive Prosthodontic Techniques: A Case Report
Authors: Malgaj Tine , Plut Alja , Eberlinc Andreja , Drevenšek Martina , Jevnikar Peter
Published: October 2020

Missing lateral incisors are the most frequent dental disorder associated with cleft alveolus. When orthodontic closure of the edentulous space is not possible, more aggressive prosthodontic treatments are required. Contemporary resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDPs) represent a promising, time-efficient alternative treatment with fewer biological complications. This clinical report proposes a modified approach to the esthetic rehabilitation of a patient with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate on the left side and an incomplete cleft lip and alveolar cleft on the right side. Digital diagnostics, treatment planning, and clinical procedures involved in the fabrication of facially bonded RBFDPs are presented. This modified technique enables the concurrent replacement of lateral incisors and correction of the malformed central incisors as well as increasing the retention of the restorations.
Peridynamics boundary condition treatments via the pseudo-layer enrichment method and variable horizon approach
Authors: Chen Jingkai , Jiao Yiyu , Jiang Wenchun , Zhang Yanting
Published: October 2020

Peridynamics is a nonlocal theory that applies an integral term to represent the material response. Without a spatial differential term involved, peridynamics possesses certain advantages for solving discontinuity-involved problems. However, due to the reduction of stiffness, the deformation near the boundary region by peridynamics has a low accuracy compared to the local elastic deformation. Previous peridynamics boundary condition treatment enriches the stiffness on the boundary region by adding an artificial layer outside the domain boundary. However, this requires the deformation of the pseudo-layer to be pre-determined. In addition, the accuracy of the response on the physical domain depends largely on the accuracy of the pre-determined deformation on the pseudo-layer. Considering the fact that peridynamics reduces to local elasticity as the horizon size goes to zero, and previous researches indicate the potential advantage of boundary enrichment via the horizon varying approach, in this paper, peridynamics with a variable horizon is utilized as an efficient way to reduce the boundary-induced inaccuracy. Firstly, the pseudo-layer boundary condition treatments are discussed by using the symmetrical enrichment function and other extrapolation functions. Then, the variable horizon boundary condition treatment is introduced and a robust improvement of deformation accuracy on the boundary region is observed compared to other boundary condition treatments for both one- and two-dimensional examples. The variable horizon approach requires no additional pseudo-layer and the boundary conditions are applied directly on the physical boundary. Thus, the variable horizon approach is easy to implement and its computational cost is reduced.
Epipericardial Fat Necrosis: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature
Authors: Mortensen Synnøve Gjelsten , Buchmann Petr , Lappegård Knut Tore
Published: October 2020

Epipericardial fat necrosis (EFN), also known as pericardial or mediastinal fat necrosis, has until lately been considered an unusual cause of acute chest pain. Due to increased use of computed tomography (CT) and other imaging techniques, EFN is now believed to be an under-diagnosed cause of acute chest pain. We here present a patient with a short history of acute, left-sided pleuritic chest pain and dyspnoea, with total resolution of symptoms upon few days with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) treatment. Chest X-ray showed a paracardial opacity with ipsilateral pleural effusion, echocardiography revealed features of EFN, and CT scan demonstrated the cardinal lesion of EFN—an ovoid, fat-containing paracardial mass with surrounding inflammatory stranding. There was a near to full radiological resolution in 3 weeks.
Role of telepharmacy in pharmacist counselling to coronavirus disease 2019 patients and medication dispensing errors
Authors: Ibrahim Osama M , Ibrahim Rana M , Z Al Meslamani Ahmad , Al Mazrouei Nadia
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Remote pharmacist interventions have achieved much more attention during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, since they reduce the risk of transmission and can potentially increase the access of vulnerable populations, such as patients with COVID-19, to pharmaceutical care. This study aimed to examine differences in rates and types of pharmacist interventions related to COVID-19 and medication dispensing errors (MDEs) across community pharmacies with and without telepharmacy services.

Methods

This was a prospective, disguised, observational study conducted over four months (from March 2020 to July 2020) in 52 community pharmacies (26 with and 26 without telepharmacy) across all seven states of the United Arab Emirates using proportionate random sampling. A standardised data-collection form was developed to include information about patient status, pharmacist interventions and MDEs.

Results

The test (telepharmacy) group pharmacies provided pharmaceutical care to 19,974 patients, of whom 6371 (31.90%) and 1213 (6.07%) were probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19, respectively. The control group pharmacies provided care to 9151 patients, of whom 1074 (11.74%) and 33 (0.36%) were probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19, respectively. Rates of MDEs and their subcategories, prescription-related errors and pharmacist counselling errors across pharmacies with telepharmacy versus those without remote services were 15.81% versus 19.43% ( p < 0.05), 5.38% versus 10.08% ( p < 0.05) and 10.42% versus 9.35% ( p > 0.05), respectively.

Discussion

This is one of the first studies to provide high-quality evidence of the impact of telepharmacy on COVID-19 patients’ access to pharmaceutical care and on medication dispensing safety.
Experimental and numerical investigation on seismic performance of hollow floor interior slab-column connections
Authors: Dang Longji , Pang Rui , Liu Rui , Ni Hongmei , Liang Shuting
Published: October 2020

This paper aims to investigate the seismic performance of hollow floor interior slab-column connection (HFISC). In this new connection system, several tube fillers are placed in slab to form hollow concrete. Moreover, locally solid zone, shear components, and hidden beam around the connections are installed to improve the bearing capacity and ductility of specimens. Three slab-column connections with different shear components were tested under cyclic loading and every specimen was constructed with parallel tube fillers in the north direction and orthogonal tube fillers in the south direction. The seismic behavior of specimens was evaluated according to the hysteretic response, skeleton curve, ductility, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation. A finite element model was then developed and validated by a comparison with the experimental results. Based on experimental results and finite element analysis results, the relative effects of the hollow ratio of slab, the ratio of longitudinal reinforcement, the shear area of bent-up steel bars, and the arm length of welding section steel cross bridging were elucidated through parametric studies. This new slab-column connection showed better plastic deformation capacity while the bearing capacity was kept. Specimens with parallel tube fillers showed better seismic behavior than those of specimens with orthogonal tube fillers.
Investigation of damage to thick composite laminates under low-velocity impact and frequency-sweep vibration loading conditions
Authors: Duan Miaomiao , Yue Zhufeng , Song Qianguang
Published: October 2020

A detailed investigation of damage and failure mechanisms of composite laminates under low-velocity impact (LVI) by experimental tests and numerical modeling is presented. Five impact energy levels were investigated on composite laminates by drop-weight tests. Permanent indentations were measured, and delamination areas of each interface induced by each LVI event were captured using an ultrasonic C-scan. The 3D volume elements with a user-defined, material-based finite element model (FEM) has been applied to predict the LVI event considering damage modes, including intra-ply damage and inter-ply damage. The results of the FEM were found to agree well with experimental observations. Internal damage of the laminate during the impact process was analyzed. For thick laminates, the initiation of damage is observed at the first layer, and then spreads from the impact surface to the back, leading to a pine-type damage pattern as the thickness increases. Frequency-sweep vibration tests of composite laminates subjected to LVI events were studied under a “fixed ends” boundary condition. Our results show that it is reasonable to use frequency-sweep vibration experiments to evaluate the damage of laminates subjected to LVI events.
The attentional boost effect with semantic information detection tasks
Authors: Zheng Siqi , Meng Yingfang , Lin Guyang
Published: October 2020

The attentional boost effect (ABE) is a phenomenon in which in some dual tasks, increased attention to target detection causes an increase in memory performance related to items paired with the target. However, in previous studies concerning the ABE, the detection task objects usually reflected perceptual information. Whether the ABE could be observed if the task involves detecting semantic information is unclear. To answer this question, the present study adopted the classic dual-task paradigm of the ABE. Arabic numerals were used as semantic information stimuli in the detection tasks, and the degree of semantic processing in the detection task gradually increased over three experiments. The results showed that target detection with semantic information (i.e., digits) triggered the ABE (Experiment 1) and that the ABE was also generated under the semantic judgement-based detection task (i.e., odd–even detection task) regardless of whether the detection task used a single-target stimulus (Experiment 2) or a multi-target stimulus (Experiment 3). These findings indicate that an increased semantic load before the target decision in the detection task does not affect the ABE, and both perceptual detection and semantic detection can trigger the ABE.
To which past do we belong? Self and narrative in a Brazilian mnemonic community of former institutionalized children
Authors: Domingos Cordeiro Veridiana
Published: October 2020

This article analyzes the processes of remembering and identity formation in a present-day mnemonic community consisting of former inmates of a total government institution for abandoned juveniles in Brazil’s countryside during the Dictatorship Regime. Through the sharing of their remembrances, they mutually shaped their life’s stories in narratives of triumph. For dealing with the empirical data, we acknowledged that memory is a complex phenomenon which must be approached in an interdisciplinary way, considering concepts draw from Cognitive Sciences to Sociology. First, we have collected their remembrances on Social Media, in-depth interviews, and fieldwork over 4 years. Second, we analyzed the dynamics of validation; the network of authorities; and the emotional regimes among the former inmates that determined what is selected and interpreted as collective understandings of the past. We took a relational and processual sociological approach for analyzing how collaborative identity-mnemonic processes are also triggered, supported, and built by the material and cultural surrounding within mnemonic communities. For that, we assume a "distributed memory", and " distributed self" conceptions. Finally, we show how divergent understandings of their past are not validated within their community and consequently dismissed from their narratives of triumph.
Opportunistic screening and survival prediction of digestive cancers by the combination of blood mSEPT9 with protein markers
Authors: Song Lele , Chen Yan , Gong Yuan , Wan Jun , Guo Shaohua , Liu Hongyi , Li Yuemin , Zeng Zhen , Lu Yinying
Published: October 2020

Background:

The early detection of digestive cancers and precancerous diseases remains a significant challenge. This study aimed to investigate the performance of the blood methylated SEPT9 ( mSEPT9) assay, and the combination of this assay with serum protein markers, in hospital-based opportunistic screening strategies for digestive cancers.

Methods:

Opportunistic screening was performed in the participating hospitals on outpatients and inpatients who met specific inclusion criteria. We recruited a total of 2030 subjects, including 764 cancer patients [291 colorectal cancer (CRC), 239 gastric cancer (GC), 106 esophageal cancer (EC), and 128 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)], 423 subjects with precancerous diseases, and 843 normal subjects. All samples were transported to an authenticated clinical laboratory where the mSEPT9 tests were performed.

Results:

When used separately, the mSEPT9 detected CRC, GC, EC, and HCC, with a sensitivity of 76.6% [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.86)], 47.7% (AUC = 0.76), 42.6% (AUC = 0.69), and 76.7% (AUC = 0.85) and a specificity of 94.6%, 92.3%, 92.5%, and 87.7%, respectively. The mSEPT9 assay also had potent ability to discriminate cancer from non-cancer subjects. The combination of mSEPT9 with CEA, CA724, SNCG, or AFP significantly enhanced the sensitivity for CRC, GC, EC, and HCC to 86.4% (AUC = 0.99, specificity = 92.8%), 63.6% (AUC = 0.86, specificity = 91.1%), 71.3% (AUC = 0.81, specificity = 82.1%), and 83.3% (AUC = 0.93, specificity = 85.1%), respectively. The performance of the mSEPT9 assay was influenced by cancer stage, patient age, pathological types, and the location of cancer. We also identified that mSEPT9 was an independent risk factor and was a valuable predictor for the long-term survival of digestive cancer patients, with a hazard ratio of 2.84, 2.07, 1.88, and 2.45, for CRC, GC, EC, and HCC, respectively.

Conclusion:

The blood mSEPT9 assay, whether used alone or in combination with serum protein markers, is effective for the opportunistic screening of digestive cancers. Furthermore, mSEPT9 is an independent risk factor and a predictive marker for the long-term survival of digestive cancer patients.
Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma Mimicking Longitudinally Extensive Transverse Myelitis
Authors: Natteru Prashant Anegondi , Shekhar Shashank , Nair Lakshmi Ramachandran , Uschmann Hartmut
Published: October 2020

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an uncommon variant of extra-nodal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Three regions can be involved in PCNSL: the brain, the spine, or the vitreus and retina. Spinal PCNSL is rare. It can mimic neoplasm, infection, and inflammation. Diagnostic confirmation is by tissue biopsy, and even then, tissue corroboration may be altered by an inflammatory overlay. We report a 59-year-old woman who we saw after she had 4 weeks of ascending tetraparesis plus bowel and bladder incontinence. Upon presentation, the patient was ventilator-dependent and locked-in. She reported normal sensation through eye-blinking. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain revealed signal intensity in the bilateral corona radiata and restricted diffusion in the right thalamus, whereas, MRI cervical, and thoracic spine showed T2 prolongation in the anterior medulla and upper cervical cord, with enhancement to C2-C3, and long segment hyperintensity from T1-T9 levels, respectively, suggestive of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. Cerebrospinal fluid cytomorphology and flow cytometry were inconclusive for lymphoma/leukemia, but oligoclonal bands were present. Serum aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) antibodies were negative. MR spectroscopy demonstrated NAA reduction, mild lipid lactate peak, and relative reduction of choline on the side of the lesion, favoring demyelination. She received 5-days of intravenous methylprednisolone, followed by 7 sessions of plasma exchange without clinical improvement. Stereotactic biopsy of the right thalamic lesion revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. PCNSL can mimic a demyelinating process early on, as steroid treatment could disrupt B-cell lymphoma cells, thus masking the correct diagnosis.
Divided Together: How Marginalization of Intercultural Relationships Is Associated With Identity Integration and Relationship Quality
Authors: Yampolsky Maya A. , West Alexandria L. , Zhou Biru , Muise Amy , Lalonde Richard N.
Published: October 2020

Despite the growing prevalence of intercultural romantic relationships—in which partners identify with different racial, national, or religious backgrounds—people in intercultural relationships still face marginalization and disapproval from others. Relationship marginalization sends a message to couples that they do not belong together, and partners may feel that their cultural identity and their relationship are disconnected. Two studies—one study of people in intercultural relationships and one of both members of intercultural couples—showed that when people perceived greater relationship marginalization, they were more likely to separate their couple identity from their cultural identity or believe they had to choose between these identities and they were less likely to integrate these identities. Less integration and more separation between a person’s couple and cultural identities was associated with lower relationship quality for both partners. The findings suggest that marginalization can create challenges for the maintenance and quality of intercultural relationships.
Losing Control: Sleep Deprivation Impairs the Suppression of Unwanted Thoughts
Authors: Harrington Marcus O. , Ashton Jennifer E. , Sankarasubramanian Subbulakshmi , Anderson Michael C. , Cairney Scott A.
Published: October 2020

Unwanted memories often enter conscious awareness when individuals confront reminders. People vary widely in their talents at suppressing such memory intrusions; however, the factors that govern suppression ability are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that successful memory control requires sleep. Following overnight sleep or total sleep deprivation, participants attempted to suppress intrusions of emotionally negative and neutral scenes when confronted with reminders. The sleep-deprived group experienced significantly more intrusions (unsuccessful suppressions) than the sleep group. Deficient control over intrusive thoughts had consequences: Whereas in rested participants suppression reduced behavioral and psychophysiological indices of negative affect for aversive memories, it had no such salutary effect for sleep-deprived participants. Our findings raise the possibility that sleep deprivation disrupts prefrontal control over medial temporal lobe structures that support memory and emotion. These data point to an important role of sleep disturbance in maintaining and exacerbating psychiatric conditions characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts.
Factors Associated With Return to Work After Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Cohort Analysis From the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network
Authors: Romagna Alexander , Wilson Jefferson R. , Jacobs W. Bradley , Johnson Michael G. , Bailey Christopher S. , Christie Sean , Paquet Jerome , Nataraj Andrew , Cadotte David W. , Manson Neil , Hall Hamilton , Thomas Kenneth C. , Schwartz Christoph , Rampersaud Y. Raja , McIntosh Greg , Fisher Charles G. , Dea Nicolas
Published: October 2020

Study design:

Retrosepctive analysis of prospectively collected data from the multicentre Canadian Surgical Spine Registry (CSORN).

Objective:

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction in North America. Few studies have evaluated return to work (RTW) rates after DCM surgery. Our goals were to determine rates and factors associated with postoperative RTW in surgically managed patients with DCM.

Methods:

Data was derived from the prospective, multicenter Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network (CSORN). From this cohort, we included all nonretired patients with at least 1-year follow-up. The RTW rate was defined as the proportion of patients with active employment at 1 year from the time of surgery. Unadjusted and adjusted analyses were used to identify patient characteristics, disease, and treatment variables associated with RTW.

Results:

Of 213 surgically treated DCM patients, 126 met eligibility, with 49% working and 51% not working in the immediate period before surgery; 102 had 12-month follow-up data. In both the unadjusted and the adjusted analyses working preoperatively and an anterior approach were associated with a higher postoperative RTW ( P < .05), there were no significant differences between the postoperative employment groups with respect to age, gender, preoperative mJOA (modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association) score, and duration of symptoms ( P > .05). Active preoperative employment (odds ratio = 15.4, 95% confidence interval = 4.5, 52.4) and anterior surgical procedures (odds ratio = 4.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.2, 19.6) were associated with greater odds of RTW at 1 year.

Conclusions:

The majority of nonretired patients undergoing surgery for DCM had returned to work 12 months after surgery; active preoperative employment and anterior surgical approach were associated with RTW in this analysis.
Does Spondylolisthesis Affect Severity and Outcome of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Gondar Renato , Nouri Aria , Jannelli Gianpaolo , Schaller Karl , Tessitore Enrico
Published: October 2020

Study Design:

This was a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives:

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) with spondylolisthesis remains not well defined, poorly studied, and underreported and plays a minor role in the therapeutic decision-making. Spondylolisthesis, however, is not uncommon and may result in dynamic injury to the spinal cord. We aim to describe the impact of spondylolisthesis in DCM severity and postoperative outcomes.

Methods:

Two independent reviewers conducted a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA 2015)-based review between 1970 and May 2020 for articles reporting outcome of DCM in patients with degenerative cervical spondylolisthesis. Patient clinical and radiological data was recorded at baseline and during postoperative follow-up (FU). A meta-analysis comparing surgical outcome between DCM patients with and without spondylolisthesis assessed by the regular/modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association Assessment Scale (mJOA) recovery ratio was completed.

Results:

A total of 3 studies were included (1 ambispective and 2 retrospective cohorts); 607 patients with DCM were identified, 102 (16.8%) of whom also had spondylolisthesis. DCM patients with spondylolisthesis were significantly older ( P < .05), presented with worse baseline mJOA and Nurick grades ( P < .05 in 2 studies), and were more commonly operated via posterior approaches ( P < .05). All groups experienced a (m)JOA and/or Neck Disability Index score improvement during FU. In the pooled meta-analysis, spondylolisthesis patients showed a significantly lower functional recovery ratio at 2 years compared with other DCM patients ( P = .05).

Conclusions:

Spondylolisthesis is frequent in older DCM patients and may be a predictor of a more advanced degeneration and subsequent worse baseline conditions and postoperative outcome.
Systematic Review Comparing Cost Analyses of Fasciectomy, Needle Aponeurotomy, and Collagenase Injection for Treatment of Dupuytren’s Contracture
Authors: Fitzpatrick Alanna Victoria , Moltaji Syena , Ramji Maleka , Martin Stuart
Published: October 2020

Purpose:

Surgeons now have a variety of treatment options for Dupuytren’s contracture including traditional partial fasciectomy (PF), percutaneous needle aponeurotomy (PNA), and collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) injection. An important factor in clinical decision making is the cost-effectiveness of the various modalities, as will be discussed in this article.

Methods:

A literature search was performed by 2 independent reviewers. A total of 14 articles and 3 abstracts met inclusion criteria. Papers were excluded for non-English language, insufficient breakdown of costs by treatment type, promotional materials, or works-in-progress. Cost data were extracted and subsequently converted to US dollars. Weighted means were used to objectively pool data that were sufficiently similar in methodology and population.

Results:

Seven observational cohort studies were pooled and found to have a weighted mean cost in favour of PNA at US$3335 per patient as compared to CCH at US$3673.14 and PF at US$4734.14. Two expected-value decision analysis models were in agreement that PF is not cost-effective, but they differed on whether PNA or CCH was the most cost-effective strategy. Two cost minimization studies agreed that CCH was less costly than PF by US$486. One cost–benefit analysis found no significant cost benefit to CCH or PF, but found significant indirect benefit to CCH. Overall 10 of 17 studies found CCH to be superior with respect to direct cost, indirect cost, or both. Only 2 of the 17 studies found PF to be the most cost-effective method. Of the 7 studies that considered PNA, 4 found it to be lowest cost.

Conclusion:

The vast majority of studies found PF to be the most costly treatment modality; however, it is still the treatment of choice in certain clinical scenarios. It is difficult to compare CCH to PNA, as many studies did not consider PNA. More studies, especially considering indirect costs, are required to be able to accurately determine which method is most cost-effective.
When Community Immersion Becomes Distance Learning: Lessons Learned From a Disrupted Semester
Authors: Flores Dalmacio D. , Bocage Claire , Devlin Sarah , Miller Meredith , Savarino Alyssa , Lipman Terri H.
Published: October 2020

Community immersion is an effective way of bringing concepts to life while nursing students are engaged with community members in the real world. Opportunities to apply, observe, and clarify abstract health promotion ideas, including social determinants of health, abound when seen in everyday interactions with individuals outside of an acute care setting. This article details the experiences of a community immersion class as it responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and had to transition mid-semester from an in-person course to a virtual format. Lessons learned from this unique experience provide a case for how to minimize disruptions to a health promotion class, maintain existing commitments with different community organizations, and adapt meaningful engagement to community needs during the pandemic.
Mexican-Born Women’s Experiences of Perinatal Care in the United States
Authors: Trainor Lauren , Frickberg-Middleton Ellen , McLemore Monica , Franck Linda
Published: October 2020

Mexican-born women represent a significant proportion of the obstetric patient population in California and have higher incidence of adverse obstetric outcomes than white women, including maternal postpartum hemorrhage and perinatal depression. Little is known, however, about Mexican-born women’s experiences of maternity care in the United States. Qualitative methods were used to conduct a secondary analysis of interview transcripts, field notes, original photographs, and analytic memos from a study of 7 Mexican-born women’s birth experiences. Participants reported social isolation influenced their expectations of maternity care. Disconnection, characterized by unmet physical and relational needs, yielded negative experiences of maternity care, while positive experiences were the result of attentive care wherein they felt providers cared about them as individuals.
Unusual Chemical Burns Caused by Potentilla Argentea
Authors: Doğan Fatih , Tutak Fatma Nilay , Aksöyler Dicle
Published: October 2020

Patients continue to seek traditional and alternative treatment modalities despite the advances in modern medicine. Such non-medical treatments remain controversial and can yield unexpected results. We report here on patients who had tightly wrapped the plant Potentilla argentea (Rosaceae) around their knees to treat rheumatism symptoms and consequently developed chemical burns. The plant bears 5-petalled yellow flowers that contain 2 polyphenols that inhibit DNA topoisomerases I and II and are thus cytotoxic. We hypothesize that this mechanism explains the chemical burns.
Optimising immunisation in children with 22q11 microdeletion
Authors: Berkhout Angela , Preece Kahn , Varghese Vanil , Prasad Vinita , Heussler Helen , Clark Julia , Wen Sophie C. H.
Published: October 2020

Background:

The condition known as 22q11 microdeletion syndrome has a broad phenotypic spectrum, with many affected individuals experiencing mild-to-moderate immunodeficiency. Currently, there are significant variations in live vaccine practices and immunological testing prior to live vaccine administration due to safety concerns and limited established guidelines.

Methods:

Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) Child Development Unit, offers a state-wide 22q11 microdeletion clinic. This is a retrospective single-centre review, capturing the majority of children with 22q11 microdeletion in Queensland, Australia. We describe the live vaccination status of 134 children, age 0 to 18 years under our care between 2000 and 2018, adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) and the proportion of children who received additional pneumococcal coverage. An immunological investigation pathway prior to live vaccine administration is proposed.

Results:

Of the 134 children, 124 were eligible for live vaccinations as per the Australian National Immunisation Program: 82% had received dose one of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, 77% had completed MMR dose two and 66% had completed varicella immunisation. There were no AEFI notifications reported. Of the total sample of children, 18% received a fourth dose of conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (Prevenar 7 or 13) and 16% received a dose of Pneumovax 23 from 4 years of age. Immunology workup practices were demonstrated to vary widely prior to live vaccine administration. Most patients’ immune profiles were consistent with mild-to-moderate immunodeficiency.

Conclusion:

We propose an immunological investigation and vaccination pathway with the aim of providing guidance and consistency to clinicians caring for children with 22q11 microdeletion.
Correction to: Alterations in bacterial communities, SCFA and biomarkers in an elderly HIV-positive and HIV-negative population in western Mexico
Authors: González-Hernández Luz A. , del Rocio Ruiz-Briseño Mariana , Sánchez-Reyes Karina , Alvarez-Zavala Monserrat , Vega-Magaña Natali , López-Iñiguez Alvaro , Díaz-Ramos Julio A. , Martínez-Ayala Pedro , Soria-Rodriguez R. A. , Ramos-Solano Moises , Andrade-Villanueva Jaime F.
Published: October 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Gelatin nanoparticles enable water dispersibility and potentialize the antimicrobial activity of Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa) oil
Authors: Castro Gabrielle Mahara Martins Azevedo , Passos Thais Souza , Nascimento Sara Sayonara da Cruz , Medeiros Isaiane , Araújo Nathália Kelly , Maciel Bruna Leal Lima , Padilha Carlos Eduardo , Ramalho Adriana Margarida Zanbotto , Sousa Júnior Francisco Canidé , de Assis Cristiane Fernandes
Published: October 2020

Background

Buriti oil presents numerous health benefits, but due to its lipophilic nature and high oxidation, it is impossible to incorporate it into aqueous food matrices. Thus, the present study evaluated whether powder nanoparticles based on porcine gelatin (OPG) and in combination with sodium alginate (OAG) containing buriti oil obtained by O/W emulsification followed by freeze-drying enabled water dispersibility and preserved or increased the antimicrobial activity of the oil.

Results

OPG presented spherical shape, smooth surface, smaller particle size and polydispersity index [51.0 (6.07) nm and 0.40 (0.05)], and better chemical interaction between the nonpolar amino acids and the hydrophobic oil chain. OPG also presented a higher dispersibility percentage [85.62% (7.82)] than OAG [50.19% (7.24)] (p < 0.05), and significantly increased the antimicrobial activity of the oil by 59, 62, and 43% for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively.

Conclusions

Thus, nanoencapsulation in gelatin is a promising strategy to increase the potential to use buriti oil in foods.
Antibiotic affects the gut microbiota composition and expression of genes related to lipid metabolism and myofiber types in skeletal muscle of piglets
Authors: Yan Honglin , Yu Bing , Degroote Jeroen , Spranghers Thomas , Van Noten Noémie , Majdeddin Maryam , Van Poucke Mario , Peelman Luc , De Vrieze Jo , Boon Nico , Gielen Ingrid , Smet Stefaan De , Chen Daiwen , Michiels Joris
Published: October 2020

Background

Early-life antibiotic administration is known to affect gut microbiota and host adiposity, but the effects of antibiotic exposure on skeletal muscle properties remain unknown. The present study evaluated the changes in skeletal muscle properties including myofiber characteristics and composition, as well as intramuscular fat (IMF) content in skeletal muscle of piglets when exposed to a tylosin-containing diet.

Results

A total of 18 piglets (28 days of age) were randomly allocated into two groups: control basal diet (Control) and Control + 100 mg tylosin phosphate/kg of feed (Antibiotic). The trial lasted for 39 days. High-throughput amplicon sequencing revealed that no significant difference in initial gut microbiota composition was existed between Control and Antibiotic groups. Antibiotic administration increased body weight and growth rate and decreased feed to gain ratio of pigs (P < 0.05). The carcass lean and fat volumes of pigs were increased by the tylosin administration (P < 0.05). Antibiotic treatment increased myofiber density and the expression of genes related to type I and type IIb myofibers inlongissimusmuscle (P < 0.05). The IMF content inlongissimusmuscle was increased by antibiotic exposure (P < 0.05). Antibiotic administration increased expression of genes related to fatty acid uptake and de novo synthesis, and decreased expression of genes related to triglyceride hydrolysis (P < 0.05). Tylosin administration affected taxonomic distribution and beta diversity of the caecal and colonic microbiota of piglets.

Conclusion

These results confirm that the growth performance, myofiber composition and muscle lipid metabolism are affected by antibiotic administration, which may be associated with an altered gut microbiota, suggesting that the gut microbiota could be served as a potential target for modulating skeletal muscle properties of host.
Automated discretization of ‘transpiration restriction to increasing VPD’ features from outdoors high-throughput phenotyping data
Authors: Kar Soumyashree , Tanaka Ryokei , Korbu Lijalem Balcha , Kholová Jana , Iwata Hiroyoshi , Durbha Surya S. , Adinarayana J. , Vadez Vincent
Published: October 2020

Background

Restricting transpiration under high vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is a promising water-saving trait for drought adaptation. However, it is often measured under controlled conditions and at very low throughput, unsuitable for breeding. A few high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) studies exist, and have considered only maximum transpiration rate in analyzing genotypic differences in this trait. Further, no study has precisely identified the VPD breakpoints where genotypes restrict transpiration under natural conditions. Therefore, outdoors HTP data (15 min frequency) of a chickpea population were used to automate the generation of smooth transpiration profiles, extract informative features of the transpiration response to VPD for optimal genotypic discretization, identify VPD breakpoints, and compare genotypes.

Results

Fifteen biologically relevant features were extracted from the transpiration rate profiles derived from load cells data. Genotypes were clustered (C1, C2, C3) and 6 most important features (with heritability > 0.5) were selected using unsupervised Random Forest. All the wild relatives were found in C1, while C2 and C3 mostly comprised high TE and low TE lines, respectively. Assessment of the distinct p-value groups within each selected feature revealed highest genotypic variation for the feature representing transpiration response to high VPD condition. Sensitivity analysis on a multi-output neural network model (with R of 0.931, 0.944, 0.953 for C1, C2, C3, respectively) found C1 with the highest water saving ability, that restricted transpiration at relatively low VPD levels, 56% (i.e. 3.52 kPa) or 62% (i.e. 3.90 kPa), depending whether the influence of other environmental variables was minimum or maximum. Also, VPD appeared to have the most striking influence on the transpiration response independently of other environment variable, whereas light, temperature, and relative humidity alone had little/no effect.

Conclusion

Through this study, we present a novel approach to identifying genotypes with drought-tolerance potential, which overcomes the challenges in HTP of the water-saving trait. The six selected features served as proxy phenotypes for reliable genotypic discretization. The wild chickpeas were found to limit water-loss faster than the water-profligate cultivated ones. Such an analytic approach can be directly used for prescriptive breeding applications, applied to other traits, and help expedite maximized information extraction from HTP data.
European expert network on rare communicable diseases and other rare diseases linked to mobility and globalisation focused on health care provision (EURaDMoG): a feasibility study
Authors: Requena-Méndez Ana , Bisoffi Zeno , Vives-Corrons Joan-Lluis , Gascon Joaquim , Plasència Antoni
Published: October 2020

Introduction

In the current mobility and globalization context, there is a growing need to identify potential changes on the pattern of diseases in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) and provide accurate diagnosis and treatment for the population. The pattern of rare communicable diseases that can affect people returning to EU/EEA from travel abroad, visiting EU/EEA or establishing in the EU/EEA is of special relevance. The objective of this manuscript is to give an overview about the EURaDMoG study and discuss the feasibility of establishing a European network on rare communicable diseases and other rare conditions linked to mobility and globalization.

Methods

We undertook a three-steps process where we first conducted a narrative review to estimate the prevalence and incidence and to list rare communicable and non-communicable diseases linked to mobility and globalization in the EU/EEA; second, we organized an international consultation workshop with experts in the diseases previously selected; and finally, the feasibility study analysed how successful a European expert network on rare diseases linked to mobility and globalization focused on health care provision would be, accounting for different operational and also sustainability criteria.

Results

First, considering the areas or topics that the network should cover, it was concluded that communicable and non-communicable rare diseases linked to mobility and globalization should be differentiated. Second, since all non-communicable rare diseases linked to mobility and globalization identified are already covered by different European Reference Networks (ERNs), there is no need for them to be included in a new European network. Three scenarios were considered for establishing a potential European network for rare communicable diseases linked to Mobility and Globalisation with a focus on Health Care provision: 1) To maintain the current situation “Status Quo” scenario; 2) to create a specific European expert network (EEN) on rare communicable diseases linked to mobility and globalisation; 3) to develop a new ERN on communicable rare diseases linked to mobility and globalisation.

Conclusions

Since the focus is the provision of health care, an ERN could have the potential to better boost the quality of care being facilitated by technological tools and online platforms that permit the safe and ethically acceptable exchange of data. However, this potential new network should not eclipse current existing networks and they should be complementary.
The design and construction of reference pangenome graphs with minigraph
Authors: Li Heng , Feng Xiaowen , Chu Chong
Published: October 2020

The recent advances in sequencing technologies enable the assembly of individual genomes to the quality of the reference genome. How to integrate multiple genomes from the same species and make the integrated representation accessible to biologists remains an open challenge. Here, we propose a graph-based data model and associated formats to represent multiple genomes while preserving the coordinate of the linear reference genome. We implement our ideas in the minigraph toolkit and demonstrate that we can efficiently construct a pangenome graph and compactly encode tens of thousands of structural variants missing from the current reference genome.