bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High sustained viral response among HCV genotype 3 patients with advanced liver fibrosis – real-world data of HCV elimination program in Georgia
Authors: Butsashvili Maia , Gvinjilia Lia , Kamkamidze George , Metreveli David , Dvali Shorena , Rukhadze Tamar , Gamkrelidze Amiran , Nasrullah Muazzam , Shadaker Shaun , Morgan Juliette , Averhoff Francisco
Published: December 2019

Background: In 2015, Georgia launched world’s first HCV elimination program. Initially, patients with advanced liver disease were prioritized to receive sofosbuvir-based treatment regimen, as it was the only DAA available for all genotypes. Purpose of the study was to assess real-world data of treatment outcome among patients with HCV GEN3 and advanced liver fibrosis with sofosbuvir-based regimens. Methods: GEN3 patients enrolled in the program, received sofosbuvir-based regimens, and had outcome data from April 28 through September 30, 2016 were eligible for the study. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed. Results: A total of 1525 genotype 3 patients were eligible for analysis; most (72.6%) were aged >45 years, majority were males (95.1%), and all (100%) had advanced liver disease (F3 or F4 by METAVIR score based on elastography). Of those who received sofosbuvir/ribavirin (SOF/RBV) for 24 weeks, 449/566 (79.3%) achieved SVR, while 925/959 (96.5%) who received sofosbuvir/pegylated interferon/ribavirin (SOF/PEG/RBV) for 12 weeks achieved SVR (p<.01). Among patients with liver cirrhosis (defined as F4) overall cure rate was 85.7% as opposed to 96.4% for those with F3. Females were more likely to be cured (98.7% vs 89.7%; OR=8.54, 95%CI:1.18-61.87). Patients aged 31-45 years had higher likelihood of achieving SVR compared to patients aged 46-60 years (95.7% vs 87.4%; OR=0.32, 95%CI:0.19-0.53). Independent predictors of SVR were treatment with SOF/PEG/RBV (aOR=6.72, 95%CI:4.49-10.06) and lower fibrosis stage (F3) (aOR=4.18, 95%CI:2.64-6.61). Conclusions: Real-world experience among HCV GEN3 patients with advanced liver fibrosis and treated by sofosbuvir regimen w/o PEGIFN, demonstrated overall high SVR rate.
Mycoplasma genitalium in Singapore is Associated with Chlamydia trachomatis Infection and Displays High Macrolide and Fluoroquinolone Resistance Rates
Authors: Hart Tim , Tang Wen Ying , Mansoor Siti Aminah , Chio Martin Tze-Wei , Barkham Timothy Sebastian
Published: December 2019

Mycoplasma gentialium is considered to be an emerging sexually transmitted infection, with increasing rates of resistance to fluroquinolones and macrolides, the most recommended treatment. Despite this, M. genitalium is not part of routine screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in many countries. We report the results of a study into M. genitalium prevalence at the national sexual health clinic in Singapore. M. genitalium was heavily associated with C. trachomatis (CT) infection (8.1% of cases), but not independently with N. gonorrhoea (NG) infection and present in only of 2.4% in CT negative cases. Furthermore, we found high rates of resistance mutations to both macrolides (25%) and fluoroquinolones (37.5%) with the majority of resistant isolates dual-resistant. Resistance mutations were only found in isolates from patients with CT co-infection. Screening CT positive patients for M. genitalium infection, followed by appropriate extended treatment, could be a cost-effective strategy to reduce the incidence of M. genitalium and reduce levels of antibiotic resistance.
Comparison of Accelerate PhenoTest™ BC Kit vs. MALDI-TOF MS/VITEK®2 System for the Rapid Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Gram-negative Bacilli Causing Bloodstream Infections
Authors: Stokes William , Campbell Lorraine , Pitout Johann , Conly John , Church Deirdre , Gregson Dan
Published: December 2019

Introduction: Our laboratory uses MALDI-TOF MS (MALDI) and the VITEK®2 system (DV2) directly from positive blood cultures (BC) for organism identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Our objective was to compare direct MALDI/DV2 to a commercial BC ID/AST platform, the Accelerate Pheno™ system, in the ID/AST of clinical and seeded BC positive for Gram-negative bacilli (GNB). Methods: BC positive for GNB were collected over a three month period and tested using AXDX, direct MALDI/DV2, and compared to conventional methods. A subset of sterile BC were seeded with multi-drug resistant GNB. Discrepancies in very major errors (VME) and major errors (ME) were confirmed with broth microdilution. Results: A total of 29 clinical samples and 35 seeded samples were analyzed. Direct MALDI had a higher ID failure rate (31.0%) compared to AXDX (3.4%) [p<0.001]. Time to ID/AST was 1.5/6.9 hours, 5.8/16.5 hours and 21.6/33.0 hours for AXDX, direct MALDI/DV2 and conventional methods, respectively (p<0.001). For clinical samples, AXDX and DV2 had essential agreement (EA)/categorical agreement (CA) >96%. For seeded samples, AXDX had EA, CA, VME, ME and mE of 93.2%, 89.0%, 2.2%, 0%, and 9.2%, respectively. AXDX had a large number of non-reports (6.1%), stemming from meropenem testing. DV2 had EA, CA, VME, ME and mE of 97.5%, 94.7%, 1.3%, 0%, and 4.4%, respectively. Conclusions: AXDX had fewer ID failures and more rapid ID/AST results. Direct MALDI/DV2 and AXDX both had high agreement for clinical samples but direct MALDI/DV2 had higher agreement when challenged with MDR GNB.
Frequency of Leishmania spp. infection among HIV-infected patients living in an urban area in Brazil: a cross-sectional study
Authors: CUNHA MIRELLA ALVES , CELESTE BEATRIZ , KESPER NORIVAL , FUGIMORI MAHYUMI , LAGO MARIANNA MARTINS , IBANES ALINE SANTOS , OUKI LILIAN MITIKO , NETO EUDES ALVES SIMÕES , FONSECA FERNANDA FERNANDES , SILVA MARIA ALMERICE LOPES , JUNIOR WALTER LINS BARBOSA , LINDOSO JOSE ANGELO LAULETTA
Published: December 2019

Background: There is little information about the frequency of Leishmaniainfection in asymptomatic HIV infected individuals and about the performance of laboratory diagnostic methods in coinfected patients in Latin America. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency of Leishmaniaspp. infection in HIV infected patients living in an urban area from Brazil. Methods: To detect Leishmaniainfection, were performed diagnostic tests to detection of antibodies anti-Leishmania(ELISA using Leptomonas seymouriantigens; ELISA using rk39 antigens; ELISA using rK28 antigens; indirect fluorescent-antibody test (IFAT); direct agglutination test (DAT) and detection of LeishmaniaDNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the target genes kDNA and ITS-1. Results: Frequency, considering at least one positive test, was 15%. For ELISA using Leptomonasantigens and IFAT, there was an association between CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts and test positivity, with a higher positivity of these tests in more immunosuppressed patients (T CD4+ cells count < 200/mm3). Conclusions: According to our data, there was a high prevalence of Leishmaniaspp. in this population living with HIV. Although there is the possibility of cross-reaction, some tests considered highly specific for the diagnosis of Leishmania infection were positive. There was also an association between the positivity of some tests studied and lower values of T CD4+ lymphocytes.
Through service providers’ eyes: health systems factors affecting implementation of tuberculosis control in Enugu State, South-eastern Nigeria
Authors: Ogbuabor Daniel Chukwuemeka
Published: December 2019

Background Well-functioning health systems are essential to achieving global and national tuberculosis (TB) control targets. This study examined health system factors affecting implementation of TB control programme from the perspectives of service providers. Methods The study was conducted in Enugu State, South-eastern Nigeria using qualitative, cross-sectional design involving 23 TB service providers (13 district TB supervisors and 10 facility TB focal persons). Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews using a health system dynamic framework and analysed thematically. Results Stewardship from National TB Control Programme (NTP) improved governance of TB control, but stewardship from local government was weak. Government spending on TB control was inadequate, whereas donors fund TB control. Poor human resources management practices hindered TB service delivery. TB service providers have poor capacity for data management because changes in recording and reporting tools were not matched with training of service providers. Drugs and other supplies to TB treatment centres were interrupted despite the use of a logistics agency. Poor integration of TB into general health services, weak laboratory capacity, withdrawal of subsidies to community volunteers and patent medicine vendors, poorly funded patient tracking systems, and ineffectual TB/HIV collaboration resulted in weak organisation of TB service delivery. Conclusion Health systems strengthening for TB control service must focus on effective oversight from NTP and local health system; predictable domestic resource mobilisation through budgets and social health insurance; training and incentives to attract and retain TB service providers; effective supply and TB drug management; and improvements in organization of service delivery.
Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain and breastfeeding outcomes
Authors: Martin Hayley , Thevenet-Morrison Kelly , Dozier Ann
Published: December 2019

BackgroundIt is well established that mothers with above-normal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) are at increased risk of breastfeeding cessation; however, the impact of pregnancy weight-gain is less well-defined. Excess pregnancy weight-gain may alter the hormonal preparation of breast tissue for lactation, increase the risk of complications that negatively impact breastfeeding (e.g. C-section, gestational diabetes), and may make effective latch more difficult to achieve.MethodsOur objective was to determine the impact of pregnancy weight-gain and pre-pregnancy BMI on the risk of breastfeeding cessation utilizing the Institute of Medicine’s 2009 recommendations. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to estimate the risk of cessation of exclusive breastfeeding, and cessation of any breastfeeding among women who initiated exclusive and any breastfeeding, respectively, in a cross sectional sample of survey respondents from a New York county (N=1207). Pregnancy weight-gain category was interacted with pre-pregnancy BMI (3 levels of pre-pregnancy BMI, 3 levels of pregnancy weight-gain). Confounders of the relationship of interest were evaluated using directed acyclic graphs and bivariate analyses; variables not on the proposed causal pathway and associated with the exposure and outcome were included in multivariate models.ResultsAfter adjustment, women of normal and obese pre-pregnancy BMI with greater-than-recommended pregnancy weight-gain had 1.39 (1.03-1.86) and 1.48 (1.06-2.07) times the risk of any breastfeeding cessation within the first 3 months postpartum compared to women with normal pre-pregnancy BMI who gained within PWG recommendations. Overweight women with greater-than-recommended pregnancy weight-gain were at increased risk of cessation, although not significantly (adjusted Hazard Ratio [95% CI]: 1.29 [0.95 – 1.75]). No significant relationship was observed for exclusive breastfeeding cessation. ConclusionPre-pregnancy BMI and pregnancy weight-gain may be modifiable risk factors for early breastfeeding cessation. Understanding the mechanism behind this risk should be ascertained by additional studies aimed at understanding the physiological, social, logistical (positioning) and other issues that may lead to early breastfeeding cessation.
Stigma and utilization of treatment for perinatal depression among adolescents in Nigeria
Authors: Kola Lola , Bennett Ian M , Bhat Amritha , Ayinde Olatunde O. , Oladeji Bibilola D. , Abiona Dolapo , Abdulmalik Jibril , Faregh Neda , Collins Pamela Y. , Gureje Oye
Published: December 2019

Background. Depression is a common and serious disorder among low-income adolescent mothers in low-and middle-income countries where resources for treatment are limited. We wished to identify, among adolescents with perinatal depression and their health providers, factors influencing health service utilization for the condition in Nigeria to inform new strategies of care delivery.Methods. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out among low-income adolescent women with a history of perinatal depression and separately with primary care clinicians treating this condition in Ibadan, Nigeria. Semi-structured interview guides were used to obtain views on the factors that promote or hinder help-seeking and engagement. FGDs were conducted until saturation of themes was achieved. Transcripts were analyzed using content analysis framed by the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable PopulationsModel and triangulation between patients and providers. Results. A total of 17 women and 25 care providers participated in 6 FGDs. Perceived benefits of treatment received for perinatal depression were strong motivation for service utilization. Significant stigma regarding adolescent pregnancy and perinatal depression created obstacles to care. Providers expressed negative stereotypes associated with adolescent pregnancy. However, individual patient resilience was a major enabling factor facilitating service engagement. Older and more experienced care providers were perceived to deliver more tolerant and supportive care that adolescent mothers valued. Conclusions. Participants identified an unsupportive and stigmatizing clinic environment as a major barrier to accessing available care. Interventions to reduce stigma among healthcare providers may improve services for this vulnerable population.
Spouse’s Participation in Perinatal Care: A Qualitative Study
Authors: mehran nahid , Hajian Sepideh , simbar Masoumeh , majd hamid alavi
Published: December 2019

Background: Pregnancy is one of the most important and sensitive periods for any woman that in the case of the support of her relatives, especially her spouse, feels more ability to tolerate it’s difficulties and gives them good memory. However, there are very few studies about the participation of spouses/partners in perinatal period in Iran. Therefore, the present study aimed to explain the concept of spouses' participation in perinatal care. Methods: This is a qualitative study that was carried out in Qom, Iran in 2018. Purposive sampling was done from pregnant or postpartum women, spouses, midwifery care providers and key informants according to study inclusion criteria. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out until data saturation. Data analysis was done based on conventional content analysis approach according to Graneheim & Lundman steps and using MaxQDA software (v.10). To ensure the trustworthiness of data, the five Guba and Lincoln criteria were used. Also, COREQ checklist was used for reporting this qualitative research. Results: fifty-three final codes were classified into 18 sub-categories, 7 main categories and 3 themes include of empathy (emotional understanding, cognitive understanding), accountability (supporting, position management, compassion) and consequences (help improve family function, improve maternal-neonatal health). Conclusion: since, spouses’ participatory behaviors in perinatal period can lead to improve maternal and neonatal health and family function, it is necessary to be considered in family-based health promotion policies and programming based on these policies such as improving the public culture of spouse participation in the process of child-rearing.
A Comparison of 13 Sweet Pepper Varieties under an Organic Farming System
Authors: Boyhan George E. , McGregor Cecilia , O’Connell Suzanne , Biang Johannah , Berle David
Published: December 2019

There is a dearth of information on pepper (Capsicum annuum) variety production under organic conditions; therefore, a randomized complete block designed experiment of 13 pepper varieties were evaluated in 2016 and 2017 using organic production practices on land managed organically for the 6 previous years. Total yield, graded yield, and early yield were the main factors of interest. There were by-year interactions, so the data were analyzed separately for each year. All of the peppers evaluated except for ‘Sweet Chocolate’ were bell pepper types. The average total yield was 1229 and 1754 boxes/acre (28 lb/box) in 2016 and 2017, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences for total yield or early total yield in 2016. In 2017, the top five highest yielding varieties were Aristotle X3R®, Gridiron, King Arthur, Flavorburst, and Blitz. With the exception of ‘Flavorburst’, all of these entries were among the highest yielding for fancy fruit (≥3 inches diameter and 3.5 inches length). The greatest early yield in 2017 included ‘Aristotle X3R®’, ‘Flavorburst’, ‘Touchdown’, ‘Islander’, and ‘Gridiron’. In 2017, early yields of fancy fruit greater than 100 boxes/acre included ‘Aristotle X3R®’, ‘Red Knight X3R®’, ‘Blitz’, and ‘Gridiron’.
Interpersonal relations of older preschool-age children who are in the institutional care
Authors: Kovalenko Alla
Published: December 2019

The article presents the research on the characteristics of the interpersonal relationships of older preschool-age children who are under institutional care. It reveals the dependence of the emotional components of such children’s attitudes to significant people and themselves on their status in the group. Children being brought up out of family have problems with their relationships with adults and peers; they have some deviations in the most important psychological formations, which in the future may negatively affect their psychological well-being.
Social Actions of Social Networks Users Triggered by Media Posts Content
Authors: Zakharchenko Artem
Published: December 2019

Media posts spread throughout social networks due to their ability to call the readers to actions which is the sign of their influence. These actions can be considered both as social and communicative. Therefore, they can be studied in relation with other social actions taken by the same users offline: participation in mass protests, purchase of goods, downloading mobile applications, etc.The research has shown that not every share means the readiness for such offline actions. Most often this readiness is observed if media posts on a particular topic are shared through goal-rational actions and at the same time have a high influence on the audience. This influence is assessed by the author’s methodology of determining the interactive potential.The research has also found that while the news is spread among the politically active Ukrainians, the proportion of different types of shares varies depending on the indicator of publication influence on the audience. For publications with high influence indicator, goal-rational and value-based shares are the most typical and if the indicator is low, the affective spreading occurs.
A draft genome for a species of Halicephalobus (Panagrolaimidae)
Authors: Ragsdale Erik J. , Koutsovoulos Georgios , Biddle Joseph F.
Published: December 2019

Halicephalobus is a clade of small, exclusively parthenogenic nematodes that have sometimes colonized remarkable habitats. Given their phylogenetic closeness to other parthenogenic panagrolaimid species with which they likely share a sexually reproducing ancestor, Halicephalobus species provide a point of comparison for parallelisms in the evolution of asexuality. Here, we present a draft genome of a putatively new species of Halicephalobus isolated from termites in Japan.
Impact of Globodera ellingtonae on yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum)
Authors: Zasada Inga A. , Ingham Russell E. , Baker Hannah , Phillips Wendy S.
Published: December 2019

Globodera ellingtonae was described from Oregon and Idaho in 2012. Due to the close phylogenetic relationship of this nematode to the potato cyst nematodes G. pallida and G. rostochiensis, and evidence that G. ellingtonae reproduces on potato (Solanum tuberosum), potential damaging effects to potato by this nematode are of great concern. To evaluate the pathogenic effects of G. ellingtonae on potato, five field and two microplot trials were conducted over a four-year period including comparisons of a range of G. ellingtonae initial population densities (Pi) and potato cultivars. In two field trials, potato ‘Russet Burbank’ was inoculated with Pi of G. ellingtonae ranging from 0 to 80 eggs/g soil; a similar trial was conducted with potato ‘Désirée.’ In another field trial, potato cultivars varying in maturity lengths were either inoculated (80 eggs/g soil) or not with G. ellingtonae. In a final field trial, ‘Ranger Russet’ was inoculated with Pi of G. ellingtonae ranging from 0 to 360 eggs/g soil. Additionally, Russet Burbank was inoculated with G. ellingtonae Pi ranging from 0 to 169 eggs/g soil in microplots. In all trials, data on tuber yield, aboveground biomass, final eggs/cyst, final population densities (Pf), and reproduction factor (RF = Pf/Pi) were collected. In only two of six trials conducted with increasing levels of Pi, was there a significant negative correlation between Pi of G. ellingtonae and yield of potato. Based on the linear regression model of tuber yield on logPi for Russet Burbank, 30.5 to 40.9% yield loss was predicted at a Pi of 40 and 80 eggs/g soil, respectively, and for Ranger Russet, 16.5 and 19.7% yield loss was predicted at a Pi of 40 and 80 eggs/g soil, respectively. None of the potato cultivars inoculated with 80 G. ellingtonae eggs/g soil had significantly reduced yields compared to non-inoculated plants. Reproduction factor values across trials ranged from 4.0 to 8.3 when inoculated with Pi of 40 eggs/g soil, demonstrating that the nematode successfully invaded and reproduced on potato in all trials. Care should be taken in extrapolating the results from these experiments conducted in Oregon to probable effects of G. ellingtonae on potato in other environments.KeywordsPotato, Damage, Globodera, Regression
The relationship between childlessness and level of education in Hungary among women born in 1920-1975
Authors: Szabó Laura
Published: December 2019

The level of education of women are emphasized in general when researchers try to explain the ultimate childlessness at individual level. The increasing level of education seems to be related to the increasing share of childless women. Our analysis used as data source the individual level Hungarian population censuses from the years 1970, 1980, 1990, 2001, 2011 and the microcensus data from 2016, allowing us to select the population of the 41–51 years old childless women with four level of education: primary, vocational, secondary and university, college. We bring evidence on the changing share of childless women born between 1920 and 1975 in general and by level of education. Our data also shows the convergence in childlessness of women with different level of education.We constructed two hypothetical scenarios and found the next. If in all birth cohorts the educational composition of women has been the same as the educational composition of women born in 1945-1949, the proportion of childless women among those born before 1945 would be higher than the actual one by 44%, while there would be no difference among younger generations born after 1949. On the other hand, if the level of childlessness within educational groups in all birth cohorts has been the same as in the 1955-1959 birth cohort, the level of childlessness would have been lower than the actual one by 50% in older cohorts and by 60% in younger cohorts. That is, the change in the share of childless women within educational groups has a greater impact on the overall childlessness, than the change in the educational composition of women born in 1920-1975.
Engelli Sporcularda Spora Katılım Motivasyonu
Authors: TEKKURŞUN DEMİR Gönül , İLHAN Levent
Published: December 2019

Araştırma, Türkiye Bedensel-İşitme-Görme Engelliler Spor
Federasyonlarında spor yapan engelli sporcuların spora katılım motivasyonlarının
belirlenmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır. Nicel modelde desenlenen araştırmaya toplam
303 engelli sporcu katılmıştır. Araştırmada boyut toplam puanları bakımında
spora katılım motivasyonu en yüksek grubun bedensel engelli sporcular olduğu,
bunu görme engelli ve işitme engelli sporcuların izlediği tespit edilmiştir.
Milli olan sporcuların dış motivasyonlarının, milli olmayan sporculara göre
anlamlı olarak yüksek olduğu, yaş artıkça motivasyonsuzluğun anlamlı olarak
azaldığı, işitme engelli kadın sporcuların aynı engel grubu içerisinde hem iç
ve dış motivasyon puanlarına göre erkek sporcularda anlamlı olarak yüksek
motivasyona sahip oldukları, bedensel engelli sporcuların genel olarak spor
yapma güdülerinin fiziksel gelişim ile ilişkili olduğu, görme engelli
sporcuların iç motivasyon faktörleri arasında “sporun özgür hissettirmesi”
özelliğinin daha çok vurgulandığı, işitme engeli sporcularda ise diğer engel
gruplarındaki sporculara göre “motivasyonsuzluğun” ön plana çıktığı
belirlenmiştir.
Environmental and human health risk assessment of antibiotic residues in drinking water sources: case study of a fast-developing megacity in southern China
Authors: Zhang Qiao , Yang Sheng , Xie Bangmi , Zhang Jian , Deng Chen , Hu Rong
Published: December 2019

The occurrence, distribution, ecological and health risk assessment of five antibiotics (CFM, ERY, LCM, SMD and SMX) in 32 drinking water reservoirs of a megacity (Shenzhen) in Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), were investigated. Among the above antibiotics, CFM was not detected, ERY, SMD, LCM and SMX were detected in 65.6%, 46.9%, 43.7% and 40.6% of samples, with concentrations of 1.594–7.605 ng·L−1, 0.335–6.695 ng·L−1, 0.288–7.878 ng·L−1 and 0.770–5.355 ng·L−1, respectively. The maximum concentration of ERY was detected in GT Reservoir, and those of the other 3 antibiotics were detected in SZ Reservoir. The ecological risk quotient (RQ) values for SMX in SZ, XL, YT, EJ, SY, TG, XK, GK, MK and GT reservoirs ranged from 0.1 to 1.0, indicating a median risk to aquatic organisms, the others posed insignificant risk or low risk. Considering the joint effects of detected antibiotics, the highest overall RQ value was 0.38, obtained in SZ Reservoir, in other words, it was exposed to greater risk. Based on health risk assessment, the health RQ values for the detected antibiotics were significantly lower than 0.01, indicating insignificant risk to human health. These findings could provide a scientific basis for the government to ensure the drinking water safety of a megacity in GBA.
Physiology of Intraluminal Administration of Carbon Dioxide as a Contrast Medium
Authors: Patelis Nikolaos , Doulaptsis Mikes , Kykalos Stylianos , Spartalis Eleftherios , Maskanakis Anastasios , Georgopoulos Sotirios
Published: December 2019

Background:

Carbon dioxide (CO2) exists in nature around us. In the middle of the 20th century, the
intraluminal injection of CO2 demonstrated similar results to those of Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA)
with an iodinated contrast agent (ICA). Since then, the technology behind CO2 DSA has developed significantly.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to inform physicians about the unique properties of CO2 and its physiology
after intraluminal injection.

Methods:

An extensive search for English literature on the properties of CO2 and the physiology of intraluminal
administration was conducted using Pubmed.

Results:

There is sufficient literature on the properties of CO2 and the physiology of CO2 DSA. A review of this
literature explains what happens to the human organism after the injection of CO2.

Conclusions:

There is enough evidence that CO2 DSA is both effective, diagnostic and safe, but the properties of
CO2 should be taken under consideration as complications occur, although rarely.
Recent Advances in Halogen Bond-assisted Organic Synthesis
Authors: Yamada Shigeyuki , Konno Tsutomu
Published: December 2019

Halogen bond interactions, which take place between an electrophilic halogen
and the electron-pair of a Lewis base and exhibit high directionality (approximately 180°),
are non-covalent bond interactions similar to the hydrogen bond interaction. Many reports
on halogen bond interactions have been published thus far, but many of them discuss halogen
bond in the context of crystal engineering of supramolecular architecture. Since a
seminal report by Bolm in 2008, halogen bond-assisted or -promoted organic synthesis has
received significant attention. This review aims to introduce the molecular design of suitable
halogen bond donors and organic transformations involving halogen bond interactions
to afford a variety of organic compounds.
PPARγ Agonists in Combination Cancer Therapies
Authors: Mrowka Piotr , Glodkowska-Mrowka Eliza
Published: December 2019

:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor acting as a transcription factor involved in the regulation of energy metabolism, cell cycle, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. These unique properties constitute a strong therapeutic potential that place PPARγ agonists as one of the most interesting and widely studied anticancer molecules.

:

Although PPARγ agonists exert significant, antiproliferative and tumoricidal activity in vitro, their anticancer efficacy in animal models is ambiguous, and their effectiveness in clinical trials in monotherapy is unsatisfactory. However, due to pleiotropic effects of PPARγ activation in normal and tumor cells, PPARγ ligands interact with many antitumor treatment modalities and synergistically potentiate their effectiveness. The most spectacular example is a combination of PPARγ ligands with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In this setting, PPARγ activation sensitizes leukemic stem cells, resistant to any previous form of treatment, to targeted therapy. Thus, this combination is believed to be the first pharmacological therapy able to cure CML patients.

:

Within the last decade, a significant body of data confirming the benefits of the addition of PPARγ ligands to various antitumor therapies, including chemotherapy, hormonotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, has been published. Although the majority of these studies have been carried out in vitro or animal tumor models, a few successful attempts to introduce PPARγ ligands into anticancer therapy in humans have been recently made. In this review, we aim to summarize shines and shadows of targeting PPARγ in antitumor therapies.
Screening of Some Novel 4, 5 Disubstituted 1, 2, 4-Triazole-3-thiones for Anticonvulsant Activity
Authors: Verma Krishan K. , Singh Umesh K. , Jain Jainendra
Published: December 2019

Objective:

In the present study, we synthesized fifteen 4, 5-disubstituted 1, 2, 4-triazol-
3-thione derivatives and evaluated for anticonvulsant activity with neurotoxicity determination.

Method:

The synthesized compounds were characterized using FTIR, 1H-NMR and MS. The
molecular docking study was also performed to study the interactions of compounds with LYS329
residue of gamma amino butyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT) using Autodock 4.2 software.
The anticonvulsant activity was assessed by maximal electroshock (MES) test and subcutaneous
pentylenetetrazol (scPTZ) tests. The neurotoxicity was assessed by rotarod ataxia test.

Results:

In MES test, compounds 5a, 8a and 9a were found active at 100 mg/kg and five compounds
were found active at 300 mg/kg dose after 1 hr of administration. After 4 hr of drug
administration, only two compounds 8a and 9a exhibited protection at 100 mg/kg. In scPTZ test,
three compounds 2a, 6a and 8a were found active at 100 mg/kg and 7a was active at 300 mg/kg
after 1 hr of test drug administration. Most of the compounds were found active in MES test with
8a and 9a being the most active among all. In docking study, 2a was found to be best compound
based on the binding energy of -6.5 kcal/mol and estimated inhibition constant of 17.2 µM.

Conclusion:

Majority of synthesized compounds were found active in MES test, whereas only
few were found to possess anti scPTZ activity. Among all compounds, only 14a caused motor coordination
impairment in rotarod ataxia test at 300 mg/kg 1 hr duration.
Fusing Dynamic Images and Depth Motion Maps for Action Recognition in Surveillance Systems
Authors: Khurana Rajat , Kushwaha Alok Kumar Singh
Published: December 2019

Background:

Identification of human actions from video has gathered much attention
in past few years. Most of the computer vision tasks such as Health Care Activity Detection, Suspicious
Activity detection, Human Computer Interactions etc. are based on the principle of activity
detection. Automatic labelling of activity from videos frames is known as activity detection.

Objective:

Motivation of this work is to use most out of the data generated from sensors and use
them for recognition of classes. Recognition of actions from videos sequences is a growing field
with the upcoming trends of deep neural networks.

Methods:

Automatic learning capability of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) make them
good choice as compared to traditional handcrafted based approaches. With the increasing demand
of RGB-D sensors combination of RGB and depth data is in great demand.

Results:

This work comprises of the use of dynamic images generated from RGB combined with
depth map for action recognition purpose. We have experimented our approach on pre trained
VGG-F model using MSR Daily activity dataset and UTD MHAD Dataset. We achieve state of
the art results. To support our research, we have calculated different parameters apart from accuracy
such as precision, F score, recall.

Conclusion:

Accordingly, the investigation confirms improvement in term of accuracy, precision,
F-Score and Recall. The proposed model is 4 Stream model is prone to occlusion, used in real
time and also the data from the RGB-D sensor is fully utilized.
Exploring Patients' Intentions for Continuous Usage of mHealth Services: Elaboration-Likelihood Perspective Study (Preprint)
Authors: Guo Xitong , Chen Shuqing , Zhang Xiaofei , Ju Xiaofeng , Wang Xifu
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

With the increasingly rapid development of Web 2.0 technologies, the application of mobile health (mHealth) care in the field of health management has become popular. Accordingly, patients are able to access consulting services and effective health information online without temporal and geographical constraints. The elaboration-likelihood model (ELM) is a dual-process persuasion theory that describes the change of attitudes and behavior.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we drew on the ELM to investigate patients’ continuous usage intentions regarding mHealth services. In addition, we further examined which route—central or peripheral—has a stronger impact on a patient’s usage of health care management.

METHODS

To meet these objectives, five hypotheses were developed and empirically validated using a field survey to test the direct and indirect effects, via attitude, of the two routes on continuous usage intention.

RESULTS

We found that patients’ perceived mHealth information quality and perceived mHealth system quality had a positive effect on their personal attitudes. The results revealed that social media influence had a positive effect on a patient’s attitude toward mHealth services. In particular, our findings suggest that a patient’s health consciousness has a positive effect on the relationship between social media influence and attitude.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes to the mHealth services literature by introducing the ELM as a referent theory for research, as well as by specifying the moderating role of health consciousness. For practitioners, this study introduces influence processes as policy tools that managers can employ to motivate the uptake of mHealth services within their organizations.
Benefits of Massive Open Online Course Participation: Deductive Thematic Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Blum Elizabeth R , Stenfors Terese , Palmgren Per J
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

Massive open online courses (MOOCs), as originally conceived, promised to provide educational access to anyone with an internet connection. However, the expansiveness of MOOC education has been found to be somewhat limited. Nonetheless, leading universities continue to offer MOOCs, including many in the health sciences, on a number of private platforms. Therefore, research on online education must include thorough understanding of the role of MOOCs. To date, studies on MOOC participants have focused mainly on learners’ assessment of the course. It is known that MOOCs are not reaching the universal audiences that were predicted, and much knowledge has been gained about learners’ perceptions of MOOCs. However, there is little scholarship on what learners themselves gain from participating in MOOCs.

OBJECTIVE

As MOOC development persists and expands, scholars and developers should be made aware of the role of MOOCs in education by examining what these courses do offer their participants. The objective of this qualitative synthesis of a set of MOOC evaluation studies was to explore outcomes for MOOC learners, that is, how the learners themselves benefit from participating in MOOCs.

METHODS

To explore MOOC learners’ outcomes, we conducted a qualitative synthesis in the form of a deductive thematic analysis, aggregating findings from 17 individual studies selected from an existing systematic review of MOOC evaluation methods. We structured our inquiry using the Kirkpatrick model, considering Kirkpatrick levels 2, 3, and 4 as potential themes in our analysis.

RESULTS

Our analysis identified six types of Kirkpatrick outcomes in 17 studies. Five of these outcomes (learning/general knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence, and commitment) fit into Kirkpatrick Level 2, while Kirkpatrick Level 3 outcomes concerning behavior/application were seen in four studies. Two additional themes were identified outside of the Kirkpatrick framework: culture and identity outcomes and affective/emotional outcomes. Kirkpatrick Level 4 was not represented among the outcomes we examined.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings point to some gains from MOOCs. While we can expect MOOCs to persist, how learners benefit from the experience of participating in MOOCs remains unclear.
Assessment of Adaptive Engagement and Support Model for People With Chronic Health Conditions in Online Health Communities: Combined Content Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Green Brian M , Van Horn Katelyn Tente , Gupte Ketki , Evans Megan , Hayes Sara , Bhowmick Amrita
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

With the pervasiveness of social media, online health communities (OHCs) are an important tool for facilitating information sharing and support among people with chronic health conditions. Importantly, OHCs offer insight into conversations about the lived experiences of people with particular health conditions. Little is known about the aspects of OHCs that are important to maintain safe and productive conversations that support health.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the provision of social support and the role of active moderation in OHCs developed in accordance with and managed by an adaptive engagement model. This study also aimed to identify key elements of the model that are central to the development, maintenance, and adaptation of OHCs for people with chronic health conditions.

METHODS

This study used combined content analysis, a mixed methods approach, to analyze sampled Facebook post comments from 6 OHCs to understand how key aspects of the adaptive engagement model facilitate different types of social support. OHCs included in this study are for people living with multiple sclerosis, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. An exploratory approach was used in the analysis, and initial codes were grouped into thematic categories and then confirmed through thematic network analysis using the Dedoose qualitative analysis software tool. Thematic categories were compared for similarities and differences for each of the 6 OHCs and by topic discussed.

RESULTS

Data on the reach and engagement of the Facebook posts and the analysis of the sample of 5881 comments demonstrate that people with chronic health conditions want to engage on the web and find value in supporting and sharing their experiences with others. Most comments made in these Facebook posts were expressions of social support for others living with the same health condition (3405/5881, 57.89%). Among the comments with an element of support, those where community members validated the knowledge or experiences of others were most frequent (1587/3405, 46.61%), followed by the expression of empathy and understanding (1089/3405, 31.98%). Even among posts with more factual content, such as insurance coverage issues, user comments still had frequent expressions of support for others (80/213, 37.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

The analysis of this OHC adaptive engagement model in action shows that the foundational elements—social support, engagement, and moderation—can effectively be used to provide a rich and dynamic community experience for individuals with chronic health conditions. Social support is demonstrated in a variety of ways, including sharing information or validating information shared by others, expressions of empathy, and sharing encouraging statements with others.
IS CADAVER STILL NEEDED IN MEDICAL EDUCATION?
Authors: Romi Muhammad Mansyur , Arfian Nur , Sari Dwi Cahyani Ratna
Published: December 2019

Background: Medical education has been developing very rapidly. Cadavers, which can serve as very important learning resources, need special concern for their availability and utility.Methods: This narrative review is based on related articles freely downloaded which discuss the role and availability of cadavers worldwide. The recent Indonesian condition with Universitas Gadjah Mada as a case will be described.Results: Cadavers play important roles in several aspects, from bioethics and behavioral development until clinical skills, in basic education and especially in postgraduate and advance clinical training. The availability of cadavers has declined significantly, and as a result, the impacts must be considered. Most cadavers are unidentified bodies, eventhough presently a body donation program is recommended as the alternative source.Conclusion: Currently in Indonesia, timely participation is needed from various stakeholders to support effective and efficient cadaver availability and utility. Additional learning resources are needed to be developed in order to assure quality improvement of medical education.Keywords: cadaver, medical education, bioethics, unidentified bodies, body donation.
The Rise of Documentary Filmmaking in Communication Studies
Authors: Elmer Greg
Published: December 2019

This commentary offers some lessons learned from recent attempts by the author to produce and fund documentary films in the university setting. The article pays particular attention to how crowdfunding can be utilized by first-time media producers.
Reading McLuhan Reading Ulysses
Authors: Galey Alan
Published: December 2019

Background Marshall McLuhan was not only a prolific reader but also an expert annotator of his own books. Taking as a case study McLuhan’s copies of James Joyce’s Ulyssesin the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto, this article asks what we can learn about McLuhan’s reading from close analysis of his own books.

Analysis The article begins with a discussion of McLuhan’s media theory as “applied Joyce,” with particular reference to Ulysses, and then turns to an overview of the annotation techniques and strategies visible in McLuhan’s copies of the novel.

Conclusion and implications The conclusion considers McLuhan’s own books as hybrid artifacts that challenge us to rethink rigid distinctions between print and manuscript cultures.
The McLuhan-Innis Field: In Search of Media Theory
Authors: Young Liam Cole
Published: December 2019

Background This article uses archival material to revisit the intellectual and professional relationship between Harold A. Innis and Marshall McLuhan.

Analysis The author suggests four concepts by which to approach questions of influence, collaboration, legacy, and the emergence of intellectual “fields.” Each offers a different view than an analogous term more frequently employed in narratives of intellectual history and legacy. These concepts are oscillation (over influence), fragment (over narrative), discovery (over provenance), and maintenance (over innovation).

Conclusion and implications The author shows how these concepts encourage generative approaches to theory-making more in line with the ethos of early media theory. They move considerations of intellectual history beyond assumptions about individual genius, nationalism, or institutional context, bringing to the fore intellectual contributions of marginalized figures such as Mary Quayle Innis (Harold’s wife) and Margaret Stewart (McLuhan’s secretary).
Exploring the limits of no backwards in time signalling
Authors: Guryanova Yelena , Silva Ralph , Short Anthony J. , Skrzypczyk Paul , Brunner Nicolas , Popescu Sandu
Published: December 2019

We present an operational and model-independent framework to investigate the concept of no-backwards-in-time signalling. We define no-backwards-in-time signalling conditions, closely related to the spatial no-signalling conditions. These allow for theoretical possibilities in which the future affects the past, nevertheless without signalling backwards in time. This is analogous to non-local but no-signalling spatial correlations. Furthermore, our results shed new light on situations with indefinite causal structure and their connection to quantum theory.
Exact Markovian and non-Markovian time dynamics in waveguide QED: collective interactions, bound states in continuum, superradiance and subradiance
Authors: Dinc Fatih , Ercan İlke , Brańczyk Agata M.
Published: December 2019

We develop a formalism for modelling exact time dynamics in waveguide quantum electrodynamics (QED) using the real-space approach. The formalism does not assume any specific configuration of emitters and allows the study of Markovian dynamics fully analytically and non-Markovian dynamics semi-analytically with a simple numerical integration step. We use the formalism to study subradiance, superradiance and bound states in continuum. We discuss new phenomena such as subdivision of collective decay rates into symmetric and anti-symmetric subsets and non-Markovian superradiance effects that can lead to collective decay stronger than Dicke superradiance. We also discuss possible applications such as pulse-shaping and coherent absorption. We thus broaden the range of applicability of real-space approaches beyond steady-state photon transport.
New Data on Trichodinid Ectoparasites (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) of Mullus barbatus ponticus (Mullidae) in the Black Sea
Authors: Öztürk Türkay , Yeşil Ali
Published: December 2019

The red mullet, Mullus barbatus ponticus inhabiting in the Black Sea was examined for presence of trichodinid ectoparasites. A total of three species of trichodinids belonging to Trichodina and Paratrichodina genera, were identified: Trichodina domerguei Wallengren, 1897, Trichodina ovonucleata Raabe, 1958 and Paratrichodina obliqua Lom 1963. Photomicrographs and morphometric data were presented for each species. The existence of trichodinid parasites in relation to size and the sex of the red mullet as well as their seasonal occurences were also investigated and determined. This paper is the first report on the trichodinid ectoparasites on the red mullet in Turkey. Trichodina ovonucleata and Paratrichodina obliqua are new records for Turkish fish parasite fauna, while P. obliqua and T. domerguei are new parasite records for Mullus barbatus ponticus. The number of host of these trichodinid species is increased based on the results of this study in addition to the previously published data.