bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of aging on the repeated-dose liver micronucleus assay using diethylnitrosamine
Authors: Satomoto Kensuke , Suzuki Isamu , Mita Koji , Wakita Atsushi , Yamagata Hiroshi , Mitsumoto Tatsuya , Hamada Shuichi
Published: August 2022

Background

The repeated-dose liver micronucleus (RDLMN) assay has been well-developed and applied because of its simplicity and the ease of integration into general toxicity studies which is the preferred method from the 3R’s point of view. In this assay, we observed micronucleated hepatocytes which accumulated during a rather long-term dosing period. When considering integration into general toxicity studies, the effects of age of the animals used in the micronucleus assay becomes a major issue. The effect of age on the micronucleus induction rate has been reported in bone marrow micronucleus assays, and it is considered that the decrease in cell proliferation rate due to aging is the cause of the decrease in sensitivity. A decrease in sensitivity due to aging was also reported in a liver micronucleus assay using clofibrate and the cause is considered to be a decrease in hepatocyte proliferation activity due to aging. However, no actual decrease in hepatocyte proliferation rate due to aging has been reported. In addition, there are no reports, so far, on whether similar effects of aging appear when other substances were administered. To investigate the effects of aging in the RDLMN assay, this study focused on the effects of 14-day repeated administration of DEN, a well-known genotoxic hepatocarcinogen with the hepatocyte toxicity which should cause an elevation of cell proliferation rate as a reflective regeneration.

Results

The liver micronuclei induced by DEN were equivalent between the two age groups (i.e., six and eight weeks of age at the start of dosing). In the histopathological examination for the liver, single cell necrosis, karyomegaly, and increased mitosis were observed in the hepatocytes, and the frequency and severity were increased dose-dependently. Ki-67 immunohistochemical analysis which can detect all cells in the cell cycle other than those in the G0 phase revealed dose-dependent increase of cell proliferation activity, and the difference between ages was not observed.

Conclusion

The effect of aging on the RDLMN assay could not be recognized when DEN was administered for 14 days in rats. Meanwhile, it was supported by the histopathological examination and Ki-67 immunohistochemical analysis that such an effect of aging was masked by the compensatory hepatocyte proliferation which was induced by the hepatocyte toxicity of DEN.
Treating mental stress in elite footballers using a stigma-free psychological approach: the Power Threat Meaning Framework
Authors: James Ian Andrew , Morris Simon , Johnston Allan , Glover Danny
Published: August 2022

There are many pressures on elite footballers. They work in a meritocracy, where only the best are selected and play at the highest levels. From the moment they enter an academy to their retirement there is a fear of deselection and rejection. Elite players need to contend with criticisms from fans and via social media; team and management dynamics can be stressful. Fears of injury are major concerns. In addition, the players are likely to face everyday difficulties experienced by the rest of society, such as relationship, family and financial problems. There is a great deal of stigma associated with mental health problems in footballers, hence approaches are required that are destigmatising. This article presents two frameworks conceptualising stress in footballers: the Power Threat Meaning Framework, which describes stress in non-diagnostic terms; and the Yerkes–Dodson curve, which describes how stress can affect footballers’ mental and physical performances on the pitch. Both frameworks can combine to enable therapists to understand players’ distress and its impact and to guide towards appropriate treatments, as we show in a fictitious case study.
Evaluation of a complex intervention for prisoners with common mental health problems, near to and after release: the Engager randomised controlled trial
Authors: Byng Richard , Kirkpatrick Tim , Lennox Charlotte , Warren Fiona C. , Anderson Rob , Brand Sarah Louise , Callaghan Lynne , Carroll Lauren , Durcan Graham , Gill Laura , Goodier Sara , Graham Jonathan , Greer Rebecca , Haddad Mark , Harris Tirril , Henley William , Hunter Rachael , Leonard Sarah , Maguire Mike , Michie Susan , Owens Christabel , Pearson Mark , Quinn Cath , Rybczynska-Bunt Sarah , Stevenson Caroline , Stewart Amy , Stirzaker Alex , Todd Roxanne , Walter Florian , Weston Lauren , Wright Nat , Taylor Rod S. , Shaw Jenny
Published: August 2022

Background

Many male prisoners have significant mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. High proportions struggle with homelessness and substance misuse.

Aims

This study aims to evaluate whether the Engager intervention improves mental health outcomes following release.

Method

The design is a parallel randomised superiority trial that was conducted in the North West and South West of England (ISRCTN11707331). Men serving a prison sentence of 2 years or less were individually allocated 1:1 to either the intervention (Engager plus usual care) or usual care alone. Engager included psychological and practical support in prison, on release and for 3–5 months in the community. The primary outcome was the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), 6 months after release. Primary analysis compared groups based on intention-to-treat (ITT).

Results

In total, 280 men were randomised out of the 396 who were potentially eligible and agreed to participate; 105 did not meet the mental health inclusion criteria. There was no mean difference in the ITT complete case analysis between groups (92 in each arm) for change in the CORE-OM score (1.1, 95% CI –1.1 to 3.2, P = 0.325) or secondary analyses. There were no consistent clinically significant between-group differences for secondary outcomes. Full delivery was not achieved, with 77% (108/140) receiving community-based contact.

Conclusions

Engager is the first trial of a collaborative care intervention adapted for prison leavers. The intervention was not shown to be effective using standard outcome measures. Further testing of different support strategies for prison with mental health problems is needed.
Disparities in Oral Cancer Stage at Presentation in a High HIV Prevalence Setting In Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Motlokwa Precious K. , Tsima Billy M. , Martei Yehoda M. , Ralefala Tlotlo , Galebole Faith , Stephens-Shields Alisa J. , Grover Surbhi , Gross Robert
Published: August 2022

PURPOSE

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and is the seventh most common in Botswana. Lack of improvement in oral cancer survival despite the availability of multiple treatment options may be due to the high prevalence of advanced stage at presentation. We identified risk factors for presenting with oral cancer at an advanced stage to facilitate interventions to reduce mortality from oral cancers.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted among individuals with biopsy-confirmed oral cancer at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana, between 2010 and 2020. Data collected included age at diagnosis, sex, place of residence, HIV status, oral cancer stage, and oral subsite. Multivariable analyses were controlled for age, sex, district of residence, and oral subsite.

RESULTS

Of the 218 records analyzed, 79% were male, 58% were HIV-positive, the median age was 56 years (interquartile range: 47-63), and 67% presented with advanced-stage disease. Cancers from hidden oral sites were more likely to present at an advanced stage with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.98 (95% CI, 1.29 to 6.89; P = .01). Residence in socioeconomically disadvantaged districts was associated with higher likelihood (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.28 to 4.39; P = .01) of advanced stage presentation compared with other districts. HIV infection was not associated with risk of advanced lesion presentation (OR, 1; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.61; P = .97).

CONCLUSION

Hidden oral cancer sites and residence in districts with limited access to care were risk factors for advanced oral cancer at the time of diagnosis in Botswana. These findings support a need to increase efforts to improve access to care and increase oral cancer awareness to decrease the burden of advanced oral cancer.
Patient, Family, and Clinician Perspectives on Location of Death for Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer
Authors: Odejide Oreofe O. , Fisher Lauren , Kushi Lawrence H. , Chao Chun R. , Vega Brenda , Rodrigues Gilda , Josephs Isabel , Brock Katharine E. , Buchanan Susan , Casperson Mallory , Cooper Robert M. , Fasciano Karen M. , Kolevska Tatjana , Lakin Joshua R. , Lefebvre Anna , Schwartz Corey M. , Shalman Dov M. , Wall Catherine B. , Wiener Lori , Altschuler Andrea , Mack Jennifer W.
Published: August 2022

PURPOSE:

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer have high rates of hospital deaths. It is not clear if this reflects their preferences or barriers to dying at home.

METHODS:

Between December 2018 and January 2021, we conducted in-depth interviews with AYAs (age 12-39 years) with stage IV or recurrent cancer, family caregivers including bereaved caregivers, and clinicians of AYAs with cancer. Patients were asked about their priorities for care including location of death, caregivers were asked what was most important in the care of their AYA family member, and clinicians were asked to reflect on priorities identified through caring for AYAs. Directed content analysis was applied to interview data, and themes regarding location of death were developed.

RESULTS:

Eighty individuals (23 AYAs, 28 caregivers, and 29 clinicians) participated in interviews. Most AYAs and caregivers preferred a home death. However, some AYAs and caregivers opted for a hospital death to alleviate caregiver burden or protect siblings from the perceived trauma of witnessing a home death. Lack of adequate services to manage intractable symptoms at home and insufficient caregiver support led some AYAs/caregivers to opt for hospital death despite a preference for home death. Participants acknowledged the value of hospice while also pointing out its limitations in attaining a home death.

CONCLUSION:

Although most AYAs prefer to die at home, this preference is not always achieved. Robust home-based services for effective symptom management and caregiver support are needed to close the gap between preferred and actual location of death for AYAs.
Circulating Tumor DNA is Unreliable to Detect Somatic Gene Alterations in Gastrointestinal Peritoneal Carcinomatosis
Authors: Sullivan Brittany G. , Lo Angelina , Yu Jingjing , Gonda Amber , Dehkordi-Vakil Farideh , Dayyani Farshid , Senthil Maheswari
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Tumor agnostic circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is routinely used to guide treatment decisions in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, especially metastatic cancers. The amount of ctDNA detected in plasma is affected by stage, tumor burden, and tumor vascularization. We hypothesized that peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is associated with lower ctDNA levels than other metastatic sites in GI cancers due to the plasma–peritoneal barrier.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with stage II–IV GI cancers treated at our institution between 2015 and 2020 with available panel-based ctDNA results (Guardant 360TM). ctDNA analysis was performed on early and pretreatment samples. We compared the reported maximum variant allele frequency (mVAF) of somatic mutations across metastatic sites.

Results

Of the 279 patients with GI cancers (colorectal, upper GI, pancreaticobiliary), 212 had stage IV disease (PC: n = 61; visceral metastases: n = 138; other metastases: n = 13). Mean mVAF increased with increasing stages of disease (stage II: 3.6 ± 7; stage III: 6.4 ± 10; stage IV: 28.0 ± 51; p < 0.01). Among patients with stage IV disease, PC was associated with lower ctDNA levels independent of primary tumor site (PC only: 12.1%; PC+ visceral metastases: 26.8%; and visceral metastases only: 35.0%; p < 0.01). In a subset of patients (n = 27, matched pair analysis of genomic alterations (GAs) showed fewer GAs were detected in plasma compared with tissue.

Conclusions

PC of GI origin is associated with significantly lower ctDNA levels compared with visceral metastasis. Caution is warranted when interpreting ctDNA results from patients with PC due to lower sensitivity for detecting actionable mutations.
Risk factors, types, and neuroimaging findings in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Khan Sabeen Abid , Talat Sidra , Malik Munir Iqbal
Published: August 2022

Objectives: Cerebral palsy is a major cause of neurodisability in children in Pakistan. The study aims to evaluate the risk factors, types and neuroimaging findings in children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: All children diagnosed with cerebral palsy, between 1-16 years presenting to Shifa community health center were enrolled from January 2020 to July 2021. Informed consent was taken from parents.

Results: A total of 89 patients were included, 62 (69.7%) male and 27 (30.3%) females. Mean age was 4.4 ± 2.8 years. Majority of babies were born at term 74 (84%) and 15 were preterm (16%). Most of the patients were born in hospital 55 (62%), 13 (14%) were born at home. Mean birth weight was 2.3 ± 0.3. Consanguinity was present in 56 (62.9%). Birth asphyxia 38 (42.7%) was the most common cause of cerebral palsy. Maternal antenatal risk factors identified were anemia 13 (14.6%), PIH (9%) infections (6%) were significant risk factors (<0.05). Neuroimaging was done in 37 (38.7%) of the patients only.

Conclusion: Male gender is more affected in our cohort. Maternal anemia, pregnancy induced hypertension and low birth weight are significant modifiable risk factors. Prevention of these can reduce the incidence of cerebral palsy.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.7.6175

How to cite this:Khan SA, Talat S, Malik MI. Risk factors, types, and neuroimaging findings in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(7):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.7.6175

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of scar pregnancy
Authors: Huang Zhulan , Liu Jinghua , Jing Zongyu , Lin Limei , Li Xiaoyun
Published: August 2022

Objectives: To compare the accuracy of three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of scar pregnancy.

Methods: The records of 54 patients with scar pregnancy, who underwent three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), from June 2015 to November 2021 were reviewed. Surgery / histopathology of operative findings were analyzed as gold standard to compare the diagnosis of the two examination methods.

Results: The detection rate of scar pregnancy by three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound was 94.44%, which was not significantly different from MRI (96.30%, P>0.05). The accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of transvaginal three-dimensional ultrasonography in the diagnosis of scar pregnancy were 94.44%, 66.67% and 96.08%, respectively, and were not significantly different from MRI, 96.30%, 50.00% and 98.08% (P>0.05). The detection rates of yolk sac, embryo and heart tube pulsation by three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound were higher than those detected by MRI (P<0.05). The detection rates of intrathecal hemorrhage, scar infiltration and uterine hematocele by MRI were significantly higher compared to three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two methods (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Both three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound and MRI have good diagnostic efficacy in the diagnosis of scar pregnancy. Detection rates of scar pregnancy diagnostic criteria differ between the two methods, and if necessary, the two methods can be used together, to further improve the diagnostic accuracy of scar pregnancy.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.7.6288

How to cite this:Huang Z, Liu J, Jing Z, Lin L, Li X. Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of scar pregnancy. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(7):---------.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.7.6288

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Το Πατριαρχείο Μόσχας
Authors: Καραδημήτρη-Στεφανίδου Μαρία
Published: August 2022

Η ιστορία της Εκκλησίας και της Θρησκείας στην Ε.Σ.Σ.Δ. έχει πολύ ενδιαφέρον διότι πέρασε από πάρα πολλά στάδια. Αναγκάστηκε να λειτουργεί "εν κρυπτώ" την εποχή της Σοβιετίας καθώς η Θρησκεία "έπρεπε να αντικατασταθεί από την επιστημονική γνώση". Η Τσαρική Ρωσία ήταν άρρηκτα συνδεδεμένη με το Πατριαρχείο Μόσχας. Ο χωρισμός Εκκλησίας-Κράτους επήλθε μετά την Επανάσταση του 1917, το έτος 1918. Το Βατικανό παρά το αυστηρό Σοβιετικό Καθεστώς εισήλθε στη Ρωσία και σε όλη την Επικράτεια μέσω της "προπαγάνδας - Propaganda Fide" (Ιεραποστολές) λόγω της φτώχειας και της εξαθλίωσης του πληθυσμού. Σοβαρό πρόβλημα υπήρξε και με την "ΟΥΝΙΑ", ιδιαίτερα στην Ουκρανία. Μετά το 1989, ο καθολικισμός ατόνισε και το Πατριαρχείο Μόσχας βρήκε την παλιά του αίγλη.
The generalized waring process statistical inference and applications
Authors: Ζωγράφη Μιμόζα
Published: August 2022

Σ’ αυτήν την διατριβή αναπτύσσουμε μια θεωρία της Γενικευμένης Ανέλιξης Waring που σχετίζεται με μια μεγάλη ποικιλία εφαρμογών. Ειδικότερα, ορίζουμε πρώτα την Γενικευμένη Ανέλιξη Waring στην πραγματική ευθεία ως στατική, αλλά μη ομοιογενή ανέλιξη Markov. Παρέχεται μία εφαρμογή στο πλαίσιο μοντελοποίησης της πρόσβασης στο διαδίκτυο και εφαρμόζεται σε πραγματικά δεδομένα. Στην συνέχεια κατασκευάζουμε την Γενικευμένη Ανέλιξη Waring σε έναν πλήρη διαχωρίσιμο μετρικό χώρο. Η Γενικευμένη Ανέλιξη Waring ορίζεται στον Rd . Αποδεικνύοντας ένα αριθμό ιδιοτήτων της όπως προσθετικότητα, στασιμότητα, εργοδικότητα και διαταξιμότητα, επιδεικνύουμε ότι η νέα ανέλιξη είναι απολύτως ικανοποιητική για στατιστικές εφαρμογές.
Έλληνες διαμαρτυρόμενοι και ελληνική κοινωνία, 1858-1911
Authors: Τσεβάς Ιωάννης
Published: August 2022

Εξετάζεται η προσπάθεια δημιουργίας μίας Διαμαρτυρόμενης εκκλησίας στην Ελλάδα της Ελληνικής Ευαγγελικής Εκκλησίας και η δυσκολίες που αυτή η προσπάθεια συνάντησε. Εξιστορούνται τα γεγονότα που συνέβησαν τα πρώτα πενήντα χρόνια αυτής της προσπάθειας. Περιγράφεται η αντίδραση της ελληνικής εκκλησίας και η άρνηση της ελληνικής κοινωνίας να δεχτεί το νέο δόγμα και οι λόγοι που υπήρξε αυτή η άρνηση. Περιγράφεται το τι συνέβη σε άλλους λαούς όπου έγινε ανάλογη προσπάθεια δημιουργίας μίας Διαμαρτυρόμενης εκκλησίας και οι κοινωνιολογικοί λόγοι που οδήγησαν σε αποδοχή ή απόρριψη αυτής της πρότασης.
Churning Selves
Authors: Ariav Talia , Keerthi Naresh
Published: August 2022

The Sanskrit campū Nīlakaṇṭhavijaya is arguably the most popular literary work of Nīlakaṇṭha Dīkṣita. It narrates the mythical story of the churning of the Ocean of Milk, with an emphasis on the part played by Dīkṣita’s personal god—Śiva. A close reading reveals that this text is preoccupied with themes of agency and subjectivity. The multiple characters of the story are not conventional archetypes. Rather, they inhabit shared worlds and come across as having distinct yet intersecting identities. Gods, demons, snakes and even Venom are given very human biographies and social milieux. And all these biographies flow into that of the titular Nīlakaṇṭha, presenting an implicit model of the self. But who is the Nīlakaṇṭha of the title?
Trust and Trustworthiness in Procurement Contracts with Retainage
Authors: Walker Matthew J. , Katok Elena , Shachat Jason
Published: August 2022

In complex procurement projects, it is difficult to write enforceable contracts that condition price upon quality. Supplier nonperformance becomes an acute risk, particularly when there is intense competition for the contract. An established incentive mechanism used to mitigate the problem of supplier nonperformance is retainage, in which the buyer sets aside a portion of the purchase price. After project completion, the buyer determines the amount of retainage that is released to the seller, considering any defects that arise. Although generally a feasible contract form to implement, the practical difficulties in assessing completion introduce a moral hazard for the buyer. We develop a structurally new game and experimental design to offer managerial insights on how retainage principles mediate trust and trustworthiness in competitive procurement settings with moral hazard. The experimental results suggest that if trust in the procurement relationship is strong enough, then retainage can mitigate the seller-side moral hazard problem and substitute for reputation in a fragmented supply chain at the cost of inflated tender prices. In high retainage structures, there is a tradeoff between trade efficiency and supplier participation in request for bids. We further develop a model of fair payment norms and offer managerial insights on how to design the retainage mechanism, conditional on prevailing levels of trust and beliefs about fairness.

This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management.

Funding: This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council [Grant ES/R500963/1].

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4516 .
COVİD-19 Pandemisi Erken Döneminde Psikolojik Etkiler ve Başa Çıkma Becerileri: Türk Çocuk ve Ergen Yaş Grubunda Çevrimiçi Bir Ölçek Çalışması
Authors: TOKSOY AKSOY Ayşe , CİHANYURDU İrem , İLBASMIŞ Çağla , ÜNVER Hatice , RODOPMAN ARMAN Ayşe
Published: August 2022

Amaç: Bu araştırmada COVİD-19 salgını nedeniyle Türkiye’de erken dönemde uygulanan sosyal kısıtlama sürecinde çocuk ve ergenlerin ruhsal durumları ve baş etme becerileri ele alınmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Araştırma 12-17 Nisan 2020 tarihleri arasında self-report (öz-raporlama) olarak uygulanan çevrim içi bir anketin verilerini içermektedir. Anket aile ve akran ilişkileri, çevrim içi eğitim, ruhsal yanıtlar, etkinlikler ve yeni edinilen hobilere ilişkin soruları içermektedir. Bulgular: Anketimize 7-12 yaş grubundan 278 çocuk (yaş ort 10.36±1.49 yıl), 13-18 yaş grubundan 439 ergen (15.49±1.72 yıl) olmak üzere toplam 717 kişi katılmıştır. Yaş açısından çocuk ve ergen grubunda istatistiksel olarak anlamlı farklılık saptanmış (p <0.005). Kızların her iki grupta da ankete daha fazla katıldığı gözlenmekle birlikte bu oran ergen grubunda anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olmuştur (p = 0.017). Ergenlerin arkadaşları ile sosyal medya üzerinden anlamlı olarak daha fazla iletişim halinde olduğu saptanmış (p=0.000), çocuk yaş grubunun ergenlere göre çevrim içi eğitimde daha fazla dikkat sorunları yaşadığı (p=0.000) görülmüştür. Pandemi ve karantinanın çocuk ve ergenlerde benzer düzeyde kaygı oluşturduğu gözlenmiş, uykuya dalma zorluğu, isteksizlik ve dikkat sorunları ergenlerde, baş ağrısı, yorgunluk ve halsizlik gibi belirtiler ise çocuklarda anlamlı olarak daha fazla saptanmıştır. Karantina sürecinde çocuk ve ergenlerin kaygılarını azaltmak ya da vakit geçirmek için benzer oranda etkinliklerde bulunduğu ve hobi edindiği gözlenmiştir (p= 0.260, p=0. 870). Çocuk yaş grubu en çok ailesi ile vakit geçirirken, ergen yaş grubu daha çok teknoloji ve sosyal medya ile vakit geçirmekteydi. Sonuç: Özbildirime dayanan çalışmamızın sonuçlarının karantina döneminde çocuk ve ergenlerle ilgili önemli veriler sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir. Halihazırda devam eden COVİD-19 pandemisinin uzun süreçli etkilerinin olacağı akla gelmekte, erken dönemde yapılan bu çalışmanın verilerinin yeni çalışmalara öncülük edebileceği düşünülmektedir.
Hypothermia and cold injuries in children and young people
Authors: Camara Claire , Watson Chloe
Published: August 2022

Although hypothermia and cold injuries are rare in children and young people in the UK, the risk is persistent and requires urgent medical management when it does occur. This article outlines some considerations for professionals who may be caring for hypothermic patients or those at risk of becoming hypothermic.
Being a compassionate leader
Authors: Foster Sam
Published: August 2022

Sam Foster, Chief Nurse, Oxford University Hospitals, considers what it means to be a compassionate leader who is aware of others' wellbeing, and how practising mindfulness can help
Holistic care of patients with diabetic foot ulcers during the COVID-19 era: integration of Henderson's Need Theory
Authors: Subrata Sumarno Adi , Margono
Published: August 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has inhibited the practice of diabetic foot ulcer care, particularly in the community. Comprehensive theory-based nursing care is needed to prevent further complications. Unfortunately, a study combining theory with nursing care in diabetic foot ulcer care has not been explored. When caring for patients with diabetic foot ulcers, who are also at increased risk of severe complications from COVID-19, it is important to take a holistic view of the patient and consider all of their needs and the factors affecting them. Henderson's Need Theory and the 14 basic needs contained within it was chosen to be integrated in the care of patients with diabetic foot ulcers during the pandemic, with the hope that the findings will help nurses to optimise care in both hospital-based and community practice.
HFFNet: hierarchical feature fusion network for blind binocular image quality prediction
Authors: pan Yi , Zhou Wujie , Ye Lv , Yu Lu
Published: August 2022

Compared with monocular images, scene discrepancies between the left- and right-view images impose additional challenges on visual quality predictions in binocular images. Herein, we propose a hierarchical feature fusion network (HFFNet) for blind binocular image quality prediction that handles scene discrepancies and uses multilevel fusion features from the left- and right-view images to reflect distortions in binocular images. Specifically, a feature extraction network based on MobileNetV2 is used to determine the feature layers from distorted binocular images; then, low-level binocular fusion features (or middle-level and high-level binocular fusion features) are obtained by fusing the left and right low-level monocular features (or middle-level and high-level monocular features) using the feature gate module; further, three feature enhancement modules are used to enrich the information of the extracted features at different levels. Finally, the total feature maps obtained from the high-, middle-, and low-level fusion features are applied to a three-input feature fusion module for feature merging. Thus, the proposed HFFNet provides better results, to the best of our knowledge, than existing methods on two benchmark datasets.
Polycapillary-boosted instrument performance in the extreme ultraviolet regime for inverse photoemission spectroscopy: erratum
Authors: Braig Christoph , Sokolov Andrey , Wilks Regan G. , Kozina Xeniya , Kunze Thomas , Bjeoumikhova Semfira , Thiel Markus , Erko Alexei , Bär Marcus
Published: August 2022

We correct values and figures for the resolution of the spectrometer, as proposed in [Opt. Express 25, 31840 (2017)10.1364/OE.25.031840OPEXFF1094-4087]. The new results take into account previously unknown, incoherent phase fluctuations, caused by the polycapillary lens (PCL), and estimate the realistic performance of the instrument.
Epsilon-near-zero substrate-enabled strong coupling between molecular vibrations and mid-infrared plasmons
Authors: Ma Penghua , Liu Kaizhen , Huang Guangyan , Ding Youyi , Du Wei , Wang Tao
Published: August 2022

As the strong light–matter interaction between molecular vibrations and mid-infrared optical resonant modes, vibrational strong coupling (VSC) has the potential to modify the intrinsic chemistry of molecules, leading to the control of ground-state chemical reactions. Here, by using quartz as an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) substrate, we have realized VSC between organic molecular vibrations and mid-infrared plasmons on metallic antennas. The ENZ substrate enables sharp mid-infrared plasmonic resonances (Q factor ∼50) which efficiently couple to the molecular vibrations of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) molecules with prominent mode splitting. The coupling strength is proportional to the square root of the thickness of the PMMA layer and reaches the VSC regime with a thickness of ∼300 nm. The coupling strength also depends on the polarization of the incident light, illustrating an additional way to control the molecule–plasmon coupling. Our findings provide a new, to the best of our knowledge, possibility to realize VSC with metallic antennas and pave the way to increase the sensitivity of molecular vibrational spectroscopy.
Network modeling of dynamic brain interactions predicts emergence of neural information that supports human cognitive behavior
Authors: Mill Ravi D. , Hamilton Julia L. , Winfield Emily C. , Lalta Nicole , Chen Richard H. , Cole Michael W.
Published: August 2022

How cognitive task behavior is generated by brain network interactions is a central question in neuroscience. Answering this question calls for the development of novel analysis tools that can firstly capture neural signatures of task information with high spatial and temporal precision (the “where and when”) and then allow for empirical testing of alternative network models of brain function that link information to behavior (the “how”). We outline a novel network modeling approach suited to this purpose that is applied to noninvasive functional neuroimaging data in humans. We first dynamically decoded the spatiotemporal signatures of task information in the human brain by combining MRI-individualized source electroencephalography (EEG) with multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA). A newly developed network modeling approach—dynamic activity flow modeling—then simulated the flow of task-evoked activity over more causally interpretable (relative to standard functional connectivity [FC] approaches) resting-state functional connections (dynamic, lagged, direct, and directional). We demonstrate the utility of this modeling approach by applying it to elucidate network processes underlying sensory–motor information flow in the brain, revealing accurate predictions of empirical response information dynamics underlying behavior. Extending the model toward simulating network lesions suggested a role for the cognitive control networks (CCNs) as primary drivers of response information flow, transitioning from early dorsal attention network-dominated sensory-to-response transformation to later collaborative CCN engagement during response selection. These results demonstrate the utility of the dynamic activity flow modeling approach in identifying the generative network processes underlying neurocognitive phenomena.
Discovery of positive and purifying selection in metagenomic time series of hypermutator microbial populations
Authors: Maddamsetti Rohan , Grant Nkrumah A.
Published: August 2022

A general method to infer both positive and purifying selection during the real-time evolution of hypermutator pathogens would be broadly useful. To this end, we introduce a Simple Test to Infer Mode of Selection (STIMS) from metagenomic time series of evolving microbial populations. We test STIMS on metagenomic data generated by simulations of bacterial evolution, and on metagenomic data spanning 62,750 generations of Lenski’s long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli (LTEE). This benchmarking shows that STIMS detects positive selection in both nonmutator and hypermutator populations, and purifying selection in hypermutator populations. Using STIMS, we find strong evidence of ongoing positive selection on key regulators of the E. coli gene regulatory network, even in some hypermutator populations. STIMS also detects positive selection on regulatory genes in hypermutator populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that adapted to subinhibitory concentrations of colistin–an antibiotic of last resort–for just twenty-six days of laboratory evolution. Our results show that the fine-tuning of gene regulatory networks is a general mechanism for rapid and ongoing adaptation. The simplicity of STIMS, together with its intuitive visual interpretation, make it a useful test for positive and purifying selection in metagenomic data sets that track microbial evolution in real-time.
Genome-wide analysis of Schistosoma mansoni reveals limited population structure and possible praziquantel drug selection pressure within Ugandan hot-spot communities
Authors: Vianney Tushabe John , Berger Duncan J. , Doyle Stephen R. , Sankaranarayanan Geetha , Serubanja Joel , Nakawungu Prossy Kabuubi , Besigye Fred , Sanya Richard E. , Holroyd Nancy , Allan Fiona , Webb Emily L. , Elliott Alison M. , Berriman Matthew , Cotton James A.
Published: August 2022

Populations within schistosomiasis control areas, especially those in Africa, are recommended to receive regular mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel (PZQ) as the main strategy for controlling the disease. The impact of PZQ treatment on schistosome genetics remains poorly understood, and is limited by a lack of high-resolution genetic data on the population structure of parasites within these control areas. We generated whole-genome sequence data from 174 individual miracidia collected from both children and adults from fishing communities on islands in Lake Victoria in Uganda that had received either annual or quarterly MDA with PZQ over four years, including samples collected immediately before and four weeks after treatment. Genome variation within and between samples was characterised and we investigated genomic signatures of natural selection acting on these populations that could be due to PZQ treatment. The parasite population on these islands was more diverse than found in nearby villages on the lake shore. We saw little or no genetic differentiation between villages, or between the groups of villages with different treatment intensity, but slightly higher genetic diversity within the pre-treatment compared to post-treatment parasite populations. We identified classes of genes significantly enriched within regions of the genome with evidence of recent positive selection among post-treatment and intensively treated parasite populations. The differential selection observed in post-treatment and pre-treatment parasite populations could be linked to any reduced susceptibility of parasites to praziquantel treatment.
Legume NCRs and nodule-specific defensins of actinorhizal plants—Do they share a common origin?
Authors: Salgado Marco Guedes , Demina Irina V. , Maity Pooja Jha , Nagchowdhury Anurupa , Caputo Andrea , Krol Elizaveta , Loderer Christoph , Muth Günther , Becker Anke , Pawlowski Katharina
Published: August 2022

The actinorhizal plantDatisca glomerata(Datiscaceae, Cucurbitales) establishes a root nodule symbiosis with actinobacteria from the earliest branching symbioticFrankiaclade. A subfamily of a gene family encoding nodule-specific defensin-like cysteine-rich peptides is highly expressed inD.glomeratanodules. Phylogenetic analysis of the defensin domain showed that these defensin-like peptides share a common evolutionary origin with nodule-specific defensins from actinorhizal Fagales and with nodule-specific cysteine-rich peptides (NCRs) from legumes. In this study, the family member with the highest expression levels,DgDef1, was characterized. Promoter-GUSstudies on transgenic hairy roots showed expression in the early stage of differentiation of infected cells, and transient expression in the nodule apex. DgDef1 contains an N-terminal signal peptide and a C-terminal acidic domain which are likely involved in subcellular targeting and do not affect peptide activity.In vitrostudies withE.coliandSinorhizobium meliloti1021 showed that the defensin domain of DgDef1 has a cytotoxic effect, leading to membrane disruption with 50% lethality forS.meliloti1021 at 20.8 μM. Analysis of theS.meliloti1021 transcriptome showed that, at sublethal concentrations, DgDef1 induced the expression of terminal quinol oxidases, which are associated with the oxidative stress response and are also expressed during symbiosis. Overall, the changes induced by DgDef1 are reminiscent of those of some legume NCRs, suggesting that nodule-specific defensin-like peptides were part of the original root nodule toolkit and were subsequently lost in most symbiotic legumes, while being maintained in the actinorhizal lineages.
Texture and semantic integrated small objects detection in foggy scenes
Authors: Fang Zhengyun , Wang Hongbin , Li Shilin , Hu Yi , Han Xingbo
Published: August 2022

In recent years, small objects detection has received extensive attention from scholars for its important value in application. Some effective methods for small objects detection have been proposed. However, the data collected in real scenes are often foggy images, so the models trained with these methods are difficult to extract discriminative object features from such images. In addition, the existing small objects detection algorithms ignore the texture information and high-level semantic information of tiny objects, which limits the improvement of detection performance. Aiming at the above problems, this paper proposes a texture and semantic integrated small objects detection in foggy scenes. The algorithm focuses on extracting discriminative features unaffected by the environment, and obtaining texture information and high-level semantic information of small objects. Specifically, considering the adverse impact of foggy images on recognition performance, a knowledge guidance module is designed, and the discriminative features extracted from clear images by the model are used to guide the network to learn foggy images. Second, the features of high-resolution images and low-resolution images are extracted, and the adversarial learning method is adopted to train the model to give the network the ability to obtain the texture information of tiny objects from low-resolution images. Finally, an attention mechanism is constructed between feature maps of the same scale and different scales to further enrich the high-level semantic information of small objects. A large number of experiments have been conducted on data sets such as “Cityscape to Foggy” and “CoCo”. The mean prediction accuracy (mAP) has reached 46.2% on “Cityscape to Fogg”, and 33.3% on “CoCo”, which fully proves the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.
MicroRNA-155 acts as an anti-inflammatory factor in orbital fibroblasts from Graves’ orbitopathy by repressing interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase
Authors: Choi Yeon Jeong , Kim Charm , Choi Eun Woo , Lee Seung Hun , Chae Min Kyung , Jun Hyung Oh , Kim Bo-Yeon , Yoon Jin Sook , Jang Sun Young
Published: August 2022

To investigate the role of microRNA (miR)-155 in inflammation in an in-vitro model of Graves’ orbitopathy (GO). The expression levels of miR-155 were compared between GO and non-GO orbital tissues. The effects of inflammatory stimulation of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) on miR-155 expression on GO and non-GO orbital fibroblasts (OFs) were investigated. The effects of miR-155 mimics and inhibitors of inflammatory proteins and IL-2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) expression were examined, along with those related to the knockdown of ITK with siITK transfection on inflammatory proteins. We also examined how ITK inhibitors affect miR-155 expression in GO and non-GO OFs. The expression levels of miR-155 were higher in GO orbital tissues than in non-GO tissue. The overexpression of miR-155 was induced by IL-1β and TNF-α in OFs from GO and non-GO patients. IL-1β-induced IL-6 (ICAM1) protein production was significantly reduced (increased) by miR-155 mimics and inhibitors. The mRNA and protein levels of ITK were downregulated by overexpressed miR-155 via miR-155 mimics. Knockdown of ITK via siITK transfection induced a decrease in the expression levels of ITK, IL-17, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α protein. The expression of miR-155 was significantly downregulated by treatment with ITK inhibitors and Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK)/ITK dual inhibitors in a time-dependent manner. Our results indicated a potential relationship between miR-155 and ITK in the context of GO OFs. The overexpression of miR-155 repressed ITK expression and relieved inflammation. Thus, miR-155 appears to have anti-inflammatory effects in GO OFs. This discovery provides a new concept for developing GO treatment therapeutics.
Prevalence of visual impairment due to refractive error among children and adolescents in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Atlaw Daniel , Shiferaw Zerihun , Sahiledengele Biniyam , Degno Sisay , Mamo Ayele , Zenbaba Demisu , Gezahegn Habtamu , Desta Fikreab , Negash Wogene , Assefa Tesfaye , Abdela Mujib , Hasano Abbul , Walle Gashaw , Kene Chala , Gomora Degefa , Chattu Vijay Kumar
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Globally, the prevalence of refractive error was 12%, and visual impairment due to refractive error was 2.1%. In sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of refractive error and visual impairment due to refractive error was 12.6% and 3.4%, respectively. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of visual impairment due to refractive error varies from 2.5% in the Gurage zone to 12.3% in Hawassa city. Hence, this Meta-analysis aimed to summarize the pooled prevalence of visual impairment due to refractive error in Ethiopia.

Methods

A systematic search of the literature was conducted by the authors to identify all relevant primary studies. All articles on the prevalence of visual impairment due to refractive error in Ethiopia were identified through a literature search. The databases used to search for studies were PubMed, Science Direct, POPLINE, HENARI, Google Scholar, and grey literature was searched on Google until December 15, 2021. In this meta-analysis, the presence of publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Begg’s tests at a significance level of less than 0.05. The sensitivity analysis was conducted to check for a single study’s effect on the overall prevalence of refractive error.

Result

About 1664 studies were retrieved from initial electronic searches using international databases and google searches. A total number of 20,088 children and adolescents were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of visual impairment due to refractive error in Ethiopia using the random effects model was estimated to be 6% (95% CI, 5–7) with a significant level of heterogeneity (I2 = 94.4%; p < 0.001). The pooled prevalence of visual impairment due to refractive was analyzed by subtypes, and pooled prevalence was estimated to be 4%, 5.2%, and 1% for myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, respectively.

Conclusion

The pooled prevalence of visual impairment due to refractive error was high in Ethiopia. About one in twenty-five Ethiopian children and adolescents are affected by visual impairment due to myopia.
Uptake of premarital HIV testing and associated factors among women who had autonomous versus non autonomous marriage in Ethiopia: A nationwide study
Authors: Ahmed Mohammed , Seid Seada , Yimer Ali , Seid Abdu , Ahmed Ousman
Published: August 2022

Background

Premarital HIV testing offers an opportunity where prospective couples can know their HIV status before marriage to prevent both heterosexual and vertical transmission of HIV. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether there is any significant difference in the prevalence of premarital HIV testing among women who had autonomous versus non-autonomous marriage, and to investigate the factors associated with premarital HIV testing among women who had autonomous versus non-autonomous marriage in Ethiopia.

Methods

Data were extracted from 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey dataset and analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Frequencies and weighted percentage of the variables, and second-order Rao-Scott statistic were computed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors between the two groups. An adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was considered to state statistically significant associations.

Result

From 9602 included sample, 4,043 (42.1%) of the women had autonomous marriage, and 5,559(57.9%) of the women had non-autonomous marriage. The prevalence of premarital HIV testing in Ethiopia among women who had autonomous marriage was 30.5% (95% CI: 27.7–33.4%) compared to 20.6% (95% CI: 18.5–22.8) among women who had a non-autonomous marriage. No differences in associated factors were found between women who had autonomous versus non autonomous marriage to uptake HIV testing. In both groups, residence in rural area, education attainment (primary, secondary, higher), media access, being rich and richest, knowing the places for HIV testing, chewing chat, and drinking alcohol were significantly predicts premarital HIV testing.

Conclusion

The study indicated that 10% more women in autonomous marriage tested for HIV relative to non-autonomous women whilst being an urban resident, educated, having access to media, household wealth and knowledge of testing facilities significantly predict HIV testing among women in Ethiopia. The paper recommends the Ethiopian government shall expand access to education among women while improving their access to media to enhance their socioeconomic wellbeing and health. Furthermore, it is better to inspire women to undergo autonomous marriage by fostering education in the community to enhance premarital HIV testing.
Effects of using standing desks for 45 minutes on the stress and executive function of elementary school students
Authors: Tanaka Ryo , Noi Shingo
Published: August 2022

Studies have presented data regarding the effects of short-term (weeks) and long-term (one year) use of standing desks in classrooms on children’s health, cognition, and musculoskeletal symptoms. However, no previous study has examined such effects in an extremely short-term period such as one classroom lesson. This study aimed to examine the effects of using standing desks for 45 minutes on elementary school students’ stress and executive function. For this experiment, 56 students were recruited from public elementary schools in Setagayaku, Tokyo, Japan. There were three conditions involving the use of standing desks (standing, sitting, and mixed), and all students performed tasks for 45 minutes in each condition. Measurements of stress and executive function were performed before and after the students engaged with each condition. Stress levels did not differ between the sitting and standing conditions for the full 45 minutes. The number of correct answers in the Stroop test, an interference task, was higher in the standing and mixed conditions (switching between standing and sitting) than in the sitting condition (interaction: F(1,37) = 3.340, p = 0.04, η2 = 0.05). These results indicate that using standing desks for 45 minutes improved the ‘inhibition’ of executive function without excessively increasing stress levels.