bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decline in Uptake of Childhood Vaccinations in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Ghana during the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Authors: Bimpong Kingsley Appiah , Nuertey Benjamin Demah , Seidu Anwar Sadat , Ajinkpang Stephanie , Abdul-Mumin Alhassan
Published: December 2021

At the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic, early modelling studies estimated a reduction in childhood vaccinations in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Regular provision of both curative and preventive services such as antenatal care and childhood immunizations has been negatively affected since the onset of the pandemic. Our study was aimed at examining the impact that the pandemic had on childhood vaccination services at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH). A mixed methods study design was employed for the study, which was conducted at the Child Welfare Clinic (CWC) of the TTH. With quantitative approach, we retrospectively looked at the uptake of the various vaccines during the pandemic era, defined as the period between 1st March 2020 and 28th February, 2021, and the prepandemic era defined as the period 1st March 2019 to 29th February, 2020. The qualitative approach was used to understand the perspective of five healthcare providers at the CWC and the four caregivers of children who have missed a vaccine or delayed in coming, on the factors accounting for any observed change. Data analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2016 and thematic content analysis. Quantitative data were presented in frequencies, percentages, and line graphs. With the exception of the Measles Rubella (MR) 2 vaccine, we observed a decline ranging from 47% (2298) to 10.5% (116), with the greatest decline seen in the BCG and the least decline seen in the MR1 vaccine. The month of May 2020 saw the greatest decline, that is, 70.6% (813). A decline of 38.3% (4473) was noted when comparison was made between the designated prepandemic and pandemic eras, for all the vaccines in our study. Fear of COVID‐19 infection and misinformation were commonly given as reasons for the decline. Catch‐up immunization schedule should be instituted to curtail possible future outbreaks of vaccine‐preventable diseases.
Partial Purification and Characterization of Bacteriocin‐Like Inhibitory Substances Produced by Streptomyces sp. Isolated from the Gut of Chanos chanos
Authors: Kurnianto Muhammad A. , Kusumaningrum Harsi D. , Lioe Hanifah N. , Chasanah Ekowati
Published: December 2021

Bacteriocin‐like inhibitory substances (BLIS) have sparked great interest because of their promising use in food as natural antimicrobial agents. In this work, six Streptomyces isolates obtained from the gut of Chanos chanos demonstrated their ability to produce extracellular metabolites with inhibitory activity against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. Exposure of the extracellular metabolites to proteolytic enzymes (i.e., proteinase‐K, trypsin, and pepsin) revealed high sensitivity and confirmed their proteinaceous nature. The metabolites were stable at high temperatures (up to 100°C for 30 min) and a wide range of pH (pH 2.0–7.0). Fractionation of the crude BLIS by filtration yielded three fractions based on molecular weight: <3 kDa, 3–10 kDa, and >10 kDa. Analysis of the antibacterial activity of these fractions showed increased specific activity, especially in the fraction with a molecular weight (MW) of <3 kDa, relative to the crude sample. The fraction with MW < 3 kDa had minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations in ranges 0.04–0.62 mg·mL−1 and 0.08–1.25 mg·mL−1, respectively. This fraction also showed better temperature and pH stability compared with crude BLIS. Brine shrimp toxicity assay revealed that this fraction has moderate toxicity with a 50% lethal concentration of 226.975 μg·mL−1 (i.e., moderate toxicity) to Artemia salina. Identification of the peptide sequences of this fraction by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry yielded 130 proteins with retention times of 15.21–19.57 min. Eleven proteins with MWs of 1345.66–2908.35 Da and composed of less than 30 amino acid residues with high hydrophobicity (15.34–26.22 kcal·mol−1) appeared to be responsible for the antibacterial activity of the fraction. This study revealed the potential application of BLIS from Streptomyces, especially BLIS SCA‐8, as antibacterial agents.
[Retracted] Impact Assessment of Big Data on Higher Education Management Based on Time‐Varying Clustering Sampling Algorithm
Authors: Liu Chen , Song Boxuan
Published: December 2021

With the continuous development of social economy, education has received more and more attention. As an important part of higher education, it has been profoundly influenced by the era of data in recent years. In order to evaluate the impact of big data on higher education management, this paper introduced a time‐varying lens algorithm (TLA) to analyze the business needs of teachers and education management by sorting out the business processes of education management, education thinking, and education practice. Through learning and mining the corresponding technology, improve the corresponding educational ability, and use big data to assist the management of higher education. The simulation results show that the time‐varying clustering sampling algorithm is effective.
Quantitative Characterization of Overburden Rock Development Pattern in the Goaf at Different Key Stratum Locations Based on DEM
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqiang , Hu Bolin , Zou Jiaxing , Liu Chuandong , Ji Yuanfan
Published: December 2021

The overburden rock mining fissures are the main cause of coal spontaneous combustion, gas pooling, and mine water inrush caused by goaf air leakage. Rapid and accurate determination of the development and evolution law of mining fissures have great significance for the application of coal spontaneous combustion prevention and control, gas disaster prevention and control, and water damage prevention and control measures. In this paper, a preliminary judgment of the development height of the water‐conducting fracture zone is made based on the theoretical analysis, and the physical model size of the numerical simulation is determined according to its judgment result. It is judged that the development height of its water‐conducting fracture zone is between 49 and 64.2 m, which is in line with the actual results. Based on this, a three‐dimensional solid model was established in PFC (Particle Flow Code) software to analyze the fissure development pattern of the overburden rock and the development height of the water‐conducting fracture zone when the main key stratum of the rock seam is in different positions by simulating the excavation process of the coal seam. The results show that when the main key stratum is located in the “original crack belt boundary,” the development of water‐conducting fracture zone is significantly inhibited; when the main key stratum is located in the “original caving zone,” the water‐conducting fracture zone is fully developed, and the crack belt finally develops to the top of the model. In order to verify the accuracy of the numerical simulation, similar material simulation experiments were performed under the same scheme. The results are consistent with the numerical simulation conclusions, effectively verifying the accuracy of the numerical simulation. Finally, the extraction of porosity of the goaf was carried out based on numerical simulation, and the permeability zoning of the goaf was performed; the results show that the development of the water‐conducting fracture zone has a significant influence on the permeability of the mining area, and the more fully developed the fissure is, the greater is its permeability. In this paper, the fissure development law in the goaf under different key stratums is explored by various research stratums, and the results show a good consistency, which provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of disasters such as water inrush and coal and gas outburst in mines, and provides theoretical guidance for safe mining.
Response of Cytoprotective and Detoxifying Proteins to Vanadate and/or Magnesium in the Rat Liver: The Nrf2‐Keap1 System
Authors: Ścibior Agnieszka , Wojda Iwona , Wnuk Ewa , Pietrzyk Łukasz , Plewa Zbigniew
Published: December 2021

Oxidative stress (OS) is a mechanism underlying metal‐induced toxicity. As a redox‐active element, vanadium (V) can act as a strong prooxidant and generate OS at certain levels. It can also attenuate the antioxidant barrier and intensify lipid peroxidation (LPO). The prooxidant potential of V reflected in enhanced LPO, demonstrated by us previously in the rat liver, prompted us to analyze the response of the nuclear factor erythroid‐derived 2‐related factor 2/Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (Nrf2‐Keap1) system involved in cellular regulation of OS to administration of sodium metavanadate (SMV, 0.125 mg V/mL) and/or magnesium sulfate (MS, 0.06 mg Mg/mL). The levels of some Nrf2‐dependent cytoprotective and detoxifying proteins, i.e., glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S‐transferase (GST), glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), glutathione synthetase (GSS), NAD(P) H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1), UDP‐glucumno‐syltransferase 1 (UGT1), and heme oxygenase 1 (HO‐1); glutathione (GSH); metallothionein (MT1); and glutamate‐cysteine ligase (GCL) mRNA were measured. We also focused on the V‐Mg interactive effects and trends toward interactive action as well as relationships between the examined indices. The elevated levels of Nrf2, GCL mRNA, and GCL catalytic subunit (GCLC) confirm OS in response to SMV and point to the capacity to synthesize GSH. The results also suggest a limitation of the second step in GSH synthesis reflected by the unchanged glutathione synthetase (GSS) and GSH levels. The positive correlations between certain cytoprotective/detoxifying proteins (which showed increasing trends during the SMV and/or MS administration, compared to the control) and between them and malondialdehyde (MDA), the hepatic V concentration/total content, and/or V dose (discussed by us previously) point to cooperation between the components of antioxidant defense in the conditions of the hepatic V accumulation and SMV‐induced LPO intensification. The V‐Mg interactive effect and trend are involved in changes in Nrf2 and UGT1, respectively. The p62 protein has to be determined in the context of potential inhibition of degradation of Keap1, which showed a visible upward trend, in comparison with the control. The impact of Mg on MT1 deserves further exploration.
Combining Rhythm Information between Heartbeats and BiLSTM-Treg Algorithm for Intelligent Beat Classification of Arrhythmia
Authors: Yao Jinliang , Li Runchuan , Shen Shengya , Zhang Wenzhi , Peng Yan , Chen Gang , Wang Zongmin
Published: December 2021

Arrhythmia is a cardiovascular disease that seriously affects human health. The identification and diagnosis of arrhythmia is an effective means of preventing most heart diseases. In this paper, a BiLSTM-Treg algorithm that integrates rhythm information is proposed to realize the automatic classification of arrhythmia. Firstly, the discrete wavelet transform is used to denoise the ECG signal, based on which we performed heartbeat segmentation and preserved the timing relationship between heartbeats. Then, different heartbeat segment lengths and the BiLSTM network model are used to conduct multiple experiments to select the optimal heartbeat segment length. Finally, the tree regularization method is used to optimize the BiLSTM network model to improve classification accuracy. And the interpretability of the neural network model is analyzed by analyzing the simulated decision tree generated in the tree regularization method. This method divides the heartbeat into five categories (nonectopic (N), supraventricular ectopic (S), ventricular ectopic (V), fused heartbeats (F), and unknown heartbeats (Q)) and is validated on the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. The results show that the overall classification accuracy of the algorithm is 99.32%. Compared with other methods of classifying heartbeat, the BiLSTM-Treg network model algorithm proposed in this paper not only improves the classification accuracy and obtains higher sensitivity and positive predictive value but also has higher interpretability.
Association between ZFHX3 and PRRX1 Polymorphisms and Atrial Fibrillation Susceptibility from Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Liting , Chu Min , Zhuang Wenfang
Published: December 2021

Background. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common, sustained cardiac arrhythmia. Recent studies have reported an association between ZFHX3/PRRX1 polymorphisms and AF. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to confirm these associations. Objective and Methods. The PubMed, Embase, and Wanfang databases were searched, covering all publications before July 20, 2020. Results. Overall, seven articles including 3,674 cases and 8,990 healthy controls for ZFHX3 rs2106261 and 1045 cases and 1407 controls for PRRX1 rs3903239 were included. The odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) was used to assess the associations. Publication bias was calculated using Egger’s and Begg’s tests. We found that the ZFHX3 rs2106261 polymorphism increased AF risk in Asians (for example, allelic contrast: OR [95% CI]: 1.39 [1.31–1.47],P<0.001). Similarly, strong associations were detected through stratified analysis using source of control and genotype methods (for example, allelic contrast: OR [95% CI]: 1.51 [1.38–1.64],P<0.001for HB; OR [95% CI]: 1.31 [1.21–1.41],P<0.001for PB; OR [95% CI]: 1.55 [1.33–1.80],P<0.001for TaqMan; and OR [95% CI]: 1.31 [1.21–1.41],P<0.001for high-resolution melt). In contrast, an inverse relationship was observed between the PRRX1 rs3903239 polymorphism and AF risk (C-allele vs. T-allele: OR [95% CI]: 0.83 [0.77–0.99],P=0.036; CT vs. TT: OR [95% CI]: 0.79 [0.67–0.94],P=0.006). No obvious evidence of publication bias was observed. Conclusions. In summary, our study suggests that the ZFHX3 rs2106261 and PRRX1 rs3903239 polymorphisms are associated with AF risk, and larger case-controls must be carried out to confirm the abovementioned conclusions.
Resistance Profile and Structural Modeling of Next-Generation ROS1 Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Keddy Clare , Shinde Pushkar , Jones Kristen , Kaech Stefanie , Somwar Romel , Shinde Ujwal , Davare Monika A.
Published: December 2021

ROS1 fusion proteins resulting from chromosomal rearrangements of the ROS1 gene are targetable oncogenic drivers in diverse cancers. Acquired resistance to targeted inhibitors curtails clinical benefit and response durability. Entrectinib, a NTRK/ROS1/ALK targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), was approved for the treatment of ROS1 fusion-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 2019. In addition, lorlatinib and repotrectinib are actively being explored in the setting of treatment-naïve or crizotinib-resistant ROS1 fusion driven NSCLC. Here, we employed an unbiased forward mutagenesis screen in Ba/F3 CD74-ROS1 and EZR-ROS1 cells to identify resistance liabilities to entrectinib, lorlatinib, and repotrectinib. ROS1F2004C emerged as a recurrent entrectinib resistant mutation and ROS1G2032R was discovered in entrectinib and lorlatinib-resistant clones. Cell-based and modeling data show that entrectinib is a dual type I/II mode inhibitor, and thus liable to both types of resistant mutations. Comprehensive profiling of all clinically relevant kinase domain mutations showed that ROS1L2086F is broadly resistant to all type I inhibitors, but remains sensitive to type II inhibitors. ROS1F2004C/I/V are resistant to type I inhibitors, entrectinib and crizotinib, and type II inhibitor, cabozantinib, but retain sensitivity to the type I macrocyclic inhibitors. Development of new, more selective type II ROS1 inhibitor(s) or potentially cycling type I and type II inhibitors may be one way to expand durability of ROS1-targeted agents.
Diagnostic Properties of a Portable Point-of-Care Method to Measure Bilirubin and a Transcutaneous Bilirubinometer
Authors: Sampurna Mahendra Tri Arif , Rani Siti Annisa Dewi , Sauer Pieter J. J. , Bos Arend F. , Dijk Peter H. , Hulzebos Christian V.
Published: December 2021

Background: Recently, the Bilistick®, a point-of-care instrument to measure bilirubin levels, has been developed. It is fast and cheaper than transcutaneous bilirubin (TCB)-measuring devices, but data on diagnostic properties are scarce. Objective: This study aimed to compare the performance of the Bilistick® (BM-BS 1.0 – FW version 2.0.1) and the JM-105 bilirubinometer for measuring bilirubin. Method: This is a prospective study in infants born after ≥32 weeks’ gestation, and/or a birth weight of ≥1,500 g, and a postnatal age ≤14 days in Surabaya, Indonesia. Bilirubin was measured with the Bilistick® System (BM-BS 1.0 – FW version 2.0.1), transcutaneously (TCB) with the JM-105 bilirubinometer, and in serum (TSB) with a routine laboratory technique. Mean differences and 95% limits of agreement (LOA) and correlations were calculated. Result: We enrolled 149 neonates and 126 had paired measurements of Bilistick® bilirubin, TCB, and TSB. Bilistick® failed in 16 (10.7%) infants. Mean Bilistick® bilirubin-TSB difference was −11 µmol/L (95% LOA: −101 to 79 µmol/L) and r = 0.738 (p < 0.001). Mean TCB-TSB difference was 26 μmol/L (95% LOA: −33 to 88) and r = 0.785 (p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for Bilistick® bilirubin for a TSB above treatment thresholds were 0.74, 0.84, 0.67, and 0.88, respectively, and for TCB 0.92, 0.64, 0.54, and 0.95, respectively. Conclusion: The Bilistick® System (BM-BS 1.0 – FW version 2.0.1) underestimates TSB, whereas TCB overestimates TSB in jaundiced Indonesian infants. Further improvement of Bilistick®’s diagnostic accuracy with less false-negative readings is essential to increase its use.
Anastomotic Leaks following Esophagectomy for Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer: The Key Is the Multidisciplinary Management
Authors: Ortigão Raquel , Pereira Brigitte , Silva Rui , Pimentel-Nunes Pedro , Bastos Pedro , Abreu de Sousa Joaquim , Faria Filomena , Dinis-Ribeiro Mário , Libânio Diogo
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy is associated with high mortality and impaired quality of life. Aim: The objective of this work was to determine the effectiveness of management of esophageal anastomotic leakage (EAL) after esophagectomy for esophageal and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. Methods: Patients submitted to esophagectomy for esophageal and GEJ cancer at a tertiary oncology hospital between 2014 and 2019 (n = 119) were retrospectively reviewed and EAL risk factors and its management outcomes determined. Results: Older age and nodal disease were identified as independent risk factors for anastomotic leak (adjusted OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.00–1.13, and adjusted OR 4.89, 95% CI 1.09–21.8). Patients with EAL spent more days in the intensive care unit (ICU; median 14 vs. 4 days) and had higher 30-day mortality (15 vs. 2%) and higher in-hospital mortality (35 vs. 4%). The first treatment option was surgical in 13 patients, endoscopic in 10, and conservative in 3. No significant differences were noticeable between these patients, but sepsis and large leakages were tendentially managed by surgery. At follow-up, 3 patients in the surgery group (23%) and 9 in the endoscopic group (90%) were discharged under an oral diet (p = 0.001). The in-hospital mortality rate was 38% in the surgical group, 33% in the conservative group, and 10% in endoscopic group (p = 0.132). In patients with EAL, the presence of septic shock at leak diagnosis was the only predictor of mortality (p = 0.004). ICU length-of-stay was non-significantly lower in the endoscopic therapy group (median 4 days, vs. 16 days in the surgical group, p = 0.212). Conclusion: Risk factors for EAL may help change pre-procedural optimization. The results of this study suggest including an endoscopic approach for EAL.
Autologous Blood Patch Pleurodesis for the Management of a Persistent Air Leak after Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Authors: Shaw Jane A. , Wilken Elisma , Allwood Brian W. , Irusen Elvis M. , Koegelenberg Coenraad F.N.
Published: December 2021

Patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) complicated by persistent air leak (PAL) and who are poor surgical candidates have limited treatment options. This case series explored autologous blood patch pleurodesis as a possible cost-effective management option. A total of 46 episodes of SSP with PAL were included. The procedure was successful in 33 (71.7%). Of these, 17 (51.5%) resolved within 1 day. The mean duration of intercostal drainage prior to the blood patch was 22 days in the successful group. Pneumothoraces with incomplete lung re-expansion at the time of procedure were successful in 20 of 30 (66.7%). Only human immunodeficiency virus infection was associated with failure (p = 0.03). Adverse events included transient fever (n = 3) that resolved spontaneously, and empyema (n = 3) which were successfully managed with antibiotics and pigtail drainage. We conclude that a large proportion of patients with SSP complicated by PAL who are unfit for surgery may be liberated from intercostal drainage by an autologous blood patch pleurodesis, with minimal adverse effects.
Comprehensive Analysis of Bortezomib-Induced Adverse Events Using the Japanese Real-World Database
Authors: Satoki Aya , Uchida Mayako , Fujiwara Masaki , Uesawa Yoshihiro , Shimizu Tadashi
Published: December 2021

Background: Bortezomib is used as first-line therapy for multiple myeloma. Observational studies based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database analysis and systematic reviews indicate that the incidence of peripheral neuropathy (PN) and tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) tends to be higher with bortezomib than that of other drugs. In a comprehensive analysis assessing drugs that cause PN in Japanese patients, the incidence of bortezomib-induced adverse events (AEs) was reportedly high. However, a comprehensive assessment of bortezomib is lacking. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of bortezomib AEs in Japanese patients and to determine the incidence, time to onset, and post hoc outcomes of unique AEs using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database. Method: To investigate the association between bortezomib and AEs, we analyzed the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database, which contains spontaneous AE reports submitted to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency from April 2004 to December 2020. Criteria indicating the presence of an AE signal were met when the following requirements were fulfilled: proportional reporting ratios ≥2 and χ2 ≥ 4. Time to onset and post-event outcomes were analyzed for characteristic AEs. Results: Among 26 extracted AEs, 13 presented AE signals. The post-exposure outcomes of 12 AEs showed fatal outcomes at rates exceeding 10%, including cardiac failure (30%), lung disorder (24%), pneumonia (18%), and TLS (10%). Furthermore, a histogram of time to onset revealed that the 12 AEs were concentrated from the beginning to approximately 1 month after bortezomib administration. The median onset times for cardiac failure, lung disorder, pneumonia, and TLS were 28, 13, 42, and 5 days, respectively. Conclusions: Cardiac failure, lung disorder, pneumonia, and TLS had a higher rate of fatal clinical outcomes after onset than other AEs. These AEs exhibited a greater onset tendency in the early post-dose period. This study suggests that there is a need to monitor signs of cardiac failure, lung disorder, pneumonia, and TLS, potentially resulting in serious outcomes.
ПРОГНОЗУВАННЯ МОДИФІКАЦІЇ ПРИРОДНИХ КОМАРИНИХ ОСЕРЕДКІВ ОСОБЛИВО НЕБЕЗПЕЧНИХ ІНФЕКЦІЙ В УКРАЇНІ ПІД ВПЛИВОМ КЛІМАТИЧНИХ ЗМІН
Authors: Виноград Н. О. , Шуль У. А.
Published: December 2021

Початок нового тисячоріччя ознаменувався суттєвим зростання рівнів біологічних небезпек і загроз, незважаючи на прогрес і нові досягнення у боротьбі з інфекційними хворобами. Зміна кліматичних умов з тенденцією до збільшення середньобагаторічних температур зумовила перерозподіл і структурні зміни в ареалах поширення біологічних видів тварин, птахів, рептилій та багатьох інших компонентів, які формують паразитарні системи зооантропонозів. Просторові зміни ензоотичних територій з переформатуванням суперареалів зумовили зростання ризиків ураження населення збудниками особливо небезпечних природно-осередкових інфекцій та інвазій.
З урахуванням існуючих тенденцій змін низки епідеміологічно значимих абіотичних і біотичних чинників, проаналізовано наявні та потенційні загрози для України внаслідок змін клімату й обумовлених цим просторових змін природних осередків, їх тривалості функціонування, появи нових збудників. Прогнозується поява нових патогенів і формування активних автохтонних природних і змішаних осередків комариних трансмісивних інфекцій, переважно дифузного типу. Є висока ймовірність укорінення на території держави нових збудників або високовірулентних генетичних варіантів ендемічних патогенів. Потенційну небезпеку становлять збудники гарячок Чикунгун’я, денге, Зіка, Західного Нілу (нові генотипи), а також малярії.
Територіями ризику поширення гарячок денге, Чикунгун’я, а також малярії будуть АР Крим, Луганська, Донецька, Запорізька, Миколаївська, Херсонська, Одеська, Чернівецька і Закарпатська області. Гарячка Західного Нілу розширить ареал з охопленням північних територій у зоні Полісся, а також є реальна загроза заміни цього збудника у західному регіоні на високовірулентний нейроінвазивний генотип внаслідок поширення останнього з території Румунії. Група комариних інфекцій стане домінуючою серед трансмісивних природно-осередкових інфекцій з переважанням полігостальних осередків.
ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА ЕПІДЕМІЧНОГО ПРОЦЕСУ COVID-19 ПІД ЧАС ДРУГОЇ ХВИЛІ ПІДЙОМУ ЗАХВОРЮВАНОСТІ В УКРАЇНІ
Authors: Задорожна В. І. , Сергеєва Т. А.
Published: December 2021

Мета – встановлення особливостей епідемічного процесу COVID-19 в Україні в період другої хвилі підйому її захворюваності.

Матеріали і методи. Проведено порівняльний аналіз епідемічного процесу COVID-19 в Україні на початку 2021 р. та під час нового підйому захворюваності (другої хвилі) за матеріалами офіційної звітності.

Результати досліджень та їх обговорення. Перша хвиля епідемічного процесу COVID-19 в Україні тривала до кінця перших 2 тижнів 2021 р. Починаючи з 7-го тижня року, можна констатувати підйом захворюваності 2-ї хвилі з максимумом на 13-14-у тижні (тижневі показники захворюваності становили 271,7-276,3 на 100 тис. населення); із 15-го тижня (через 1 тиждень після введення з 5 квітня 2021 р. локдауну в більшості регіонів України) почалося її зниження; із 21-го тижня 2021 р. можна говорити про припинення другої хвилі підйому захворюваності. Захворюваність на COVID-19 достовірно корелювала у часі із загальною захворюваністю на ГРВІ (r=0,88±0,05), і можна опосередковано говорити про гіподіагностику COVID-19. Мінімальні щотижневі показники смертності від COVID-19 спостерігалися на 6-7-му та 22-му тижнях року (2,0 на 100 тис. населення), максимальні – на 14-15-му тижнях (7,1 на 100 тис. населення). Сумарна летальність протягом 01.01-06.06.2021 р. зросла з 1,8 до 2,3 %, а щотижнева летальність протягом 17-22-го тижнів стабільно перевищувала 4,0 % та мала тенденцію до зростання. Серед пацієнтів вікових груп 60-69 років та 70 років і старше наприкінці другої хвилі сумарна летальність перевищувала значення середнього показника серед загальної кількості пацієнтів (2,33 %) відповідно в 1,6 та 4,8 разу. Частка пацієнтів, в яких методом ПЛР підтверджено діагноз COVID-19, коливалася від 4,8 до 33,4 % з найменшими рівнями, починаючи з 18-го тижня, на тлі значного зниження захворюваності другої хвилі.

Висновки. Можна говорити про прискорення передачі SARS-CoV-2 під час другого підйому захворюваності на COVID-19 в Україні порівняно з першою хвилею. За результатами епідеміологічного аналізу офіційних статистичних даних, за період нової епідемічної хвилі (7-20-й тижні) не відбулося значних змін особливостей епідемічного процесу цієї інфекції, за винятком його різкої інтенсифікації, що призвело до перевантаження системи охорони здоров’я, зростання летальності (головним чином за рахунок пацієнтів віком від 60 років, на яких припадало 81,72 % летальних випадків при їх частці серед захворілих 29,15 %). Показники сумарної летальності підвищувалися через 2-3 тиж після зростання співвідношення кількості захворілих до кількості госпіталізованих до рівня 2,7 та вище. Дані офіційної статистики щодо захворюваності на COVID-19 занижені. За епідеміологічними ознаками підтвердження збільшення вірулентності SARS-CoV-2 не виявлено.
ОПИС КЛІНІЧНОГО ВИПАДКУ ЛАЙМ-КАРДИТУ
Authors: Ярема Н. І. , Миндзів К. В. , Коцюба О. І. , Попович Д. В.
Published: December 2021

Мета роботи – на прикладі клінічного випадку Лайм-кардиту продемонструвати особливості діагностичного процесу з визначенням факторів ризику, клінічних і ЕКГ-змін, важливість своєчасної верифікації діагнозу і проведення етіотропної терапії. У пацієнта виявлені складні порушення ритму та провідності: AV-блокада І ст., транзиторні AV-блокада ІІ (Мобітц 2) та ІІІ ступенів, політопна екстрасистолія. Дані лабораторних обстежень пацієнта свідчили про підвищення маркерів запалення (підвищення рівнів СРП, тропоніну та ШОЕ). Для оцінки ймовірності бореліозної етіології міокардиту проведене анкетування за шкалою SILC (Suspicious Index in Lyme Carditis) – 8 балів, що вказує на високий ризик Лайм-кардиту, серологічне обстеження. Блот-аналіз підтвердив наявність антитіл IgG до Borrelia burgdorferi. Завдяки своєчасній діагностиці, в тому числі серологічній, Лайм-кардиту і призначеному відповідному етіотропному антибактеріальному лікуванню доксицикліном впродовж 21 дня, у хворого було досягнуто як суттєвого клінічного покращення, так і позитивної ЕКГ-динаміки з покращенням AV-провідності.
MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GUINEA PIGS BRONCHUS ASSOCIATED LYMPHOID TISSUE IN THE DYNAMICS OF EXPERIMENTAL OVALBUMIN-INDUCED ALLERGIC INFLAMMATION
Authors: Popko S. S.
Published: December 2021

The actual problem of modern medicine is the reaction of Bronchus associated lymphoid tissue in airways chronic allergic diseases, because the full functioning of the respiratory system depends on the state of its local immune system.

The aim – to study morphological changes in Bronchus associated lymphoid tissue of guinea pigs in the dynamics of experimental ovalbumin-induced allergic inflammation.

Material and Methods. We have studied the lung of 48 guinea pigs, using histological and morphometric methods, under conditions of experimental ovalbumin-induced allergic inflammation. To assess the structural and functional rearrangement of pulmonary lymphoid nodules, their diameter and number were determined.

Results. We have shown that sensitization and allergization with ovalbumin leads to a significant structural and functional rearrangement of Bronchus associated lymphoid tissue of guinea pigs in the form of the elevation in their number and diameter. We found more pronounced morphological changes in the late period of development of allergic inflammation in peribronchial lymphoid nodules, confirmed by the maximum magnification factor – 2.6 (p*/**<0.001) of the diameter of peribronchial lymphoid nodules in the 4th experimental group compared to the control.

Conclusions. Sensitization and inhalation with ovalbumin leads to structural reorganization of Bronchus associated lymphoid tissue of guinea pigs in the form of the elevation in their number and diameter, had the unidirectional staged character depending on localization of lymphoid nodules and the duration of the experiment and claimed proliferative changes in the cellular adaptive link of local lung immunity of guinea pigs in late period of allergic inflammatory process.
Contemporary Clinical and Coronary Anatomic Risk Model for 30-Day Mortality After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Doll Jacob A. , O’Donnell Colin I. , Plomondon Meg E. , Waldo Stephen W.
Published: December 2021

Background:

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures are increasing in clinical and anatomic complexity, likely increasing the calculated risk of mortality. There is need for a real-time risk prediction tool that includes clinical and coronary anatomic information that is integrated into the electronic medical record system.

Methods:

We assessed 70 503 PCIs performed in 73 Veterans Affairs hospitals from 2008 to 2019. We used regression and machine-learning strategies to develop a prediction model for 30-day mortality following PCI. We assessed model performance with and without inclusion of the Veterans Affairs SYNTAX score (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery), an assessment of anatomic complexity. Finally, the discriminatory ability of the Veterans Affairs model was compared with the CathPCI mortality model.

Results:

The overall 30-day morality rate was 1.7%. The final model included 14 variables. Presentation status (salvage, emergent, urgent), ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock, age, congestive heart failure, prior valve disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, atrial fibrillation, elevated international normalized ratio, and the Veterans Affairs SYNTAX score were all associated with increased risk of death, while increasing body mass index, hemoglobin level, and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery were associated with lower risk of death. C-index for the development cohort was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.92–0.94) and for the 2019 validation cohort and the site validation cohort was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.83–0.92) and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.83–0.89), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio of predicting a mortality event in the top decile was 2.87% more accurate than the CathPCI mortality model. Inclusion of anatomic information in the model resulted in significant improvement in model performance (likelihood ratio test
P
<0.01).

Conclusions:

This contemporary risk model accurately predicts 30-day post-PCI mortality using a combination of clinical and anatomic variables. This can be immediately implemented into clinical practice to promote personalized informed consent discussions and appropriate preparation for high-risk PCI cases.
Sense-Perception, Reasoning and Forms in Plotinus
Authors: Emilsson Eyjólfur K.
Published: December 2021

This paper discusses the role of innate concepts derived from Intellect in Plotinus’ account of cognition of the sensible realm. Several passages have been claimed as evidence for such innateness, but an analysis of them shows that they do not support this claim. It is tentatively suggested that, nevertheless, some very general concepts such as difference, sameness and being are integral to the faculty of sense and play a crucial role in concept formation. It is further argued that reasoning about the sensible realm takes place to a large extent without the involvement of the higher realms of Plotinus’ hierarchy of being. Clearly, however, for value concepts such as those of goodness, justice and beauty human beings are dependent upon an illumination from Intellect.
The Spirit in the Pastoral Epistles
Authors: Archer Kenneth J.
Published: December 2021

The pneumatology of the Pastoral Epistles (PE) appears at first glance to be rather limited. The term pneuma occurs only seven times in the PE. In this essay, I will address the seven references in canonical order and then summarize the pneumatology of the PE. The PE reinforce the traditional systematic theological perspective of the role of the Spirit as active in revelation and the salvation process and as empowering persons for service. The Holy Spirit is the main person of the Trinity actively working in eschatological salvation for all by bringing forth the fruit of holiness and working powerfully through the sufferings of gifted persons.
The Spirit in Hebrews
Authors: Long Westfall Cynthia
Published: December 2021

There are surprisingly few references to the Holy Spirit in the letter to the Hebrews, though there are more than some may recognize. The author of Hebrews believes that the recipients of his letter/sermon should be fully grounded in their communal life in the Spirit, but he is most interested in how the Holy Spirit is exhorting and guiding the community to further truth during their critical time of need. Therefore, it is the content of what the Spirit is communicating that is his focus, and that content contains some of the most profound statements in the letter/sermon. There are possibly seven references to the Holy Spirit in the letter to the Hebrews. Two of them are consistent with the early Christian traditions about the work of the Spirit: three of them concern the Holy Spirit’s confrontation and communication to the readers through Scripture, and two are disputed as references to the Holy Spirit, although, if they apply, they may reflect a perception of the divinity of the Spirit. The importance of the contexts in which the author mentions the Holy Spirit indicates a role for the Holy Spirit in the sermon/letter that extends beyond the texts in which the Spirit is directly referenced.
Three Filmmaking Practices That Guide Our Attention to Popular Cinema
Authors: Cutting James E.
Published: December 2021

Popular movies are constructed to control our attention and guide our eye movements across the screen. Estimates of fixation locations were made by manually moving a cursor and clicking over frames at the beginnings and ends of more than 30,000 shots in 24 English-language movies. Results provide evidence for three general filmmaking practices in screen composition. The first and overriding practice is that filmmakers generally put the most import content ‒ usually the center of a character’s face ‒ slightly above the center of the screen. The second concerns two-person conversations, which account for about half of popular movie content. Dialogue shots alternate views of the speakers involved, and filmmakers generally place the conversants slightly to opposite sides of the midline. The third concerns all other shots. For those, filmmakers generally follow important content in one shot by similar content in the next shot on the same side of the vertical midline. The horizontal aspect of the first practice seems to follow from the nature of our field of view and vertical aspect from the relationship of heads to bodies depicted. The second practice derives from social norms and an image composition norm called nose room, and the third from the consideration of continuity and the speed of re-engaging attention.
Strategies Against the covid-19 Pandemic and the Crisis of Hegemony
Authors: Balsa Javier
Published: December 2021

This article tries to explain why, if those countries that applied an elimination strategy in respect of the covid-19 pandemic experienced fewer deaths and relatively fewer negative impacts on their economies, the ruling bourgeoisie of other countries did not promote similar measures. Additionally, it attempts to explain why people have not widely demanded that policies be implemented to eliminate the circulation of the virus. The article suggests that, in order to better understand these behaviours, it is necessary to frame them in the context of the profound crisis of hegemony in which most of Europe and America was already plunged before the arrival of the covid-19 virus.
Political Potency and the Impotency of European Sovereignism: Pandemic and Technocracy
Authors: Cantaro Antonio
Published: December 2021

The covid-19 pandemic and the parallel economic and social crisis mark both a decline of neoliberal globalisation and a return of public intervention. As many have stated, the economic policy triptych of the past decades – the opening of markets, withdrawal of the state and privatisation – has substantially disappeared from the agendas of governments around the world. The ‘political’, in a sense, is back. But in what sense? Can we talk about a real paradigm shift? The return of the political that we are witnessing manifests itself in the permanence and persistence of the neoliberal anthropology of the masses, which is the legacy of globalism, of the Maastricht order and of its idea of civilisation (even more than its political economy dogmas).
An aberrant colydiine-like tenebrionoid beetle from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Zopheridae)
Authors: LI YAN-DA , HUANG DI-YING , CAI CHEN-YANG
Published: December 2021

A new fossil species of the superfamily Tenebrionoidea, Coslonatus rasnitsyni gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new genus is tentatively placed in the extant subfamily Colydiinae (Zopheridae) based primarily on the 4-segmented tarsi, clubbed antennae, and all freely connected abdominal ventrites. Coslonatus is unique in Colydiinae in having dorsally located antennal insertions and markedly long antennae, suggesting a unique ecological niche of the new species.
New Cecidomyiidae from the Lowermost Eocene French amber (Diptera)
Authors: NEL ANDRÉ
Published: December 2021

Two new Cecidomyiidae are added to the Lowermost Eocene Oise amber fauna: in the Lestremiini, Allarete patriciae sp. nov. and in the Winnertziini, Rhipidoxylomyia rasnitsyni sp. nov. Allarete is widely distributed in the Holarctic, Afrotropical, and Oriental regions, and Rhipidoxylomyia in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions, suggesting ancient origins, which would be confirmed by the present discoveries.
A new genus and species of the aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) from the Eocene Sakhalinian amber
Authors: DAVIDIAN ELENA M. , MANUKYAN ANDRANIK R. , BELOKOBYLSKIJ SERGEY A.
Published: December 2021

The new fossil genus and species, Sakhalinoctonus alexrasnitsyni Davidian, gen. et sp. nov., of hymenopteran parasitoids of aphids from the subfamily Aphidiinae (Braconidae) is described from the Middle Eocene Sakhalinian amber. This new genus is similar with the extinct Protacanthoides Mackauer, 1961 and Promonoctonia Starý, 1973 as well as with the extant Calaphidius Mackauer, 1961, Indaphidius Starý, 1979, Aclitus Foerster, 1862 and Archaphidus Starý & Sсhlinger, 1967, and differs from them by the small number of antennal segments, details of wing venation and propodeum areolation, the shape and pubescence of the ovipositor sheaths.
New species of the fossil ant genus Drymomyrmex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae) from the late Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine)
Authors: RADCHENKO ALEXANDER G.
Published: December 2021

A new species of the fossil ant genus Drymomyrmex Wheeler, 1915, D. rasnitsyni sp. nov., is described from the late Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). This is the first find of a worker of this genus and the first record of Drymomyrmex in the Rovno amber. Based on the analysis of the morphological features of gynes and worker it is proposed to attribute Drymomyrmex to the tribe Plagiolepidini Forel, 1886.
Re-evaluation of the Cretaceous family Plumalexiidae and its relationships (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea)
Authors: BROTHERS DENIS J. , MELO GABRIEL A.R.
Published: December 2021

Information provided by eight specimens of Plumalexius ohmkuhnlei Rasnitsyn & Brothers, 2020 has enabled significant amplification of our knowledge of the characteristics of the genus Plumalexius as a whole. Analysis of a matrix including this additional information has confirmed and strengthened the conclusions of Brothers’s ten-year old paper describing the family Plumalexiidae, and the genus and species Plumalexius rasnitsyni Brothers, 2011, and evaluating the phylogeny of the Chrysidoidea based on morphology.
Jurodidae (Coleoptera: Archostemata) from Transbaikalia: new findings and redescription of type material
Authors: YAN EVGENY V. , STRELNIKOVA OLESYA D. , PONOMARENKO ALEXANDER G.
Published: December 2021

Two species of Jurodidae: Jurodes ignoramus and Jurodes minor are redescribed, new characters presented, and characters from original descriptions are phylogenetically reevaluated, justifying a placement of the family within the suborder Archostemata. The new species Jurodes shef sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous locality Khasurty (Berriasian-Barremian, Zakamenskiy district, Buryatia Republic, Russia) is described and 2 new specimens of J. ignoramus Ponomarenko, 1985 and 5 additional specimens of J. minor Ponomarenko, 1990 are recorded. Jurodids from Khasurty are morphologically closer to those from Daohugou locality (Middle–Upper Jurassic, Inner Mongolia, China).
3. The Seeker
Authors: Keane Patrick
Published: December 2021

Yeats’s lifelong pursuit of the spiritual, of transcendent knowledge associated with various Otherworlds, at first the Celtic Fairyland, later ‘Byzantium,’ his city of spirit and art. But that quest is complicated by the ambivalence of a man and poet always acutely conscious of the cost and dangers of estrangement from the tangible realities of human life and love. Hence the tension between the material and the spiritual realms, culminating not only in the two Byzantium poems but in the major dialectical poems of the mature Yeats, ‘Vacillation’ and ‘A Dialogue of Self and Soul.’ That tension is here examined in such early poems as ‘The Stolen Child,’ ‘The Man Who Dreamed of Faeryland,’ ‘To the Rose upon the Rood of Time,’ and ‘Who Goes with Fergus?’
Natural recovery in trichotillomania
Authors: Grant Jon E , Chamberlain Samuel R
Published: December 2021

Objectives:

Trichotillomania is characterized by repetitive pulling out of one’s hair, leading to distress and/or functional impairment. Long considered a chronic condition if left untreated (albeit with fluctuating intensity), there have been intimations that the disorder may be of limited duration in some people.

Methods:

A sample of 10,169 adults, aged 18–69 years, representative of the general US population, were recruited and screened for current and lifetime trichotillomania. Potential differences in demographic and clinical variables and lifetime comorbidities, between those with natural recovery from trichotillomania, and those with current trichotillomania, were identified using analysis of variance or likelihood-ratio chi-square tests as appropriate. Additional analyses using binary logistic regression were used to control for potential confounding differences between the groups initially identified.

Results:

In total, 24.9% of the entire sample of people with lifetime trichotillomania reported that they no longer had symptoms of trichotillomania and had never received therapy or medication treatment for it (i.e. they experienced natural recovery). Those who experienced natural recovery did not differ from those with current trichotillomania in terms of demographic or clinical characteristics, except that they were currently older. Natural recovery was associated with significantly lower rates of related comorbidities: obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, panic disorder, skin picking disorder and tic disorder.

Discussion:

These findings from the first epidemiology study examining natural recovery in trichotillomania highlight the importance of screening for and treating such comorbidities in patients with trichotillomania, in order to maximize chance of clinical recovery.