bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of passive samplers for monitoring of acetic and formic acid in museum environments
Authors: Kraševec Ida , Menart Eva , Strlič Matija , Kralj Cigić Irena
Published: February 2021

Acetic acid and formic acid are volatile pollutants leading to degradation of some heritage materials. They are usually determined in museum environments with various types of passive samplers. In this work, SKC UMEx 200 passive samplers, originally intended for sampling of

$$\hbox {NO}_{2}$$

NO
2

and

$$\hbox {SO}_{2}$$

SO
2

, have been validated for sampling of these organic acids. The sampling rates, extraction efficiency, loss through reverse diffusion or during storage, capacity, and detection limits were determined for both acids. For laboratory exposure, a known concentration of both acids was prepared in a flow-through reactor system at controlled temperature and humidity, the samplers were extracted, followed by analysis using ion chromatography. The sampling rates were determined to be 16.7 ml/min for acetic and 17.7 ml/min for formic acid and the detection limits for 7-day exposure were determined to be

$${2.1}\,{\upmu }{\rm g/m}^3$$

2.1

μ

g
/
m

3

for acetic and

$${1.9}\,{\upmu }\hbox {g/m}^3$$

1.9

μ

g/m
3

for formic acid. The validated method was finally used for sampling of air in two case studies at the National Museum of Slovenia, where the concentrations in the range of 2–

$${54}\,{\upmu }\hbox {g/m}^3$$

54

μ

g/m
3

were determined.
Imaging spectroscopies to characterize a 13th century Japanese handscroll, The Miraculous Interventions of Jizō Bosatsu
Authors: Clarke Matthew L. , Gabrieli Francesca , Rowberg Kathryn L. , Hare Andrew , Ueda Jiro , McCarthy Blythe , Delaney John K.
Published: February 2021

Scientific imaging of a large fragile work of art can be especially challenging, but especially rewarding to better grasp the complexity and changes that have occurred during its creation and lifetime. Here, noninvasive imaging, macro X-ray fluorescence (MAXRF) imaging spectroscopy and reflectance imaging spectroscopy, from the visible to the near infrared spectral range, are utilized to document a 14-m-long Japanese narrative handscroll, The Miraculous Interventions of Jizō Bosatsu. Due to the scroll’s age and its handling during past use as a teaching tool, it has a number of conservation needs and shows evidence of past repairs. The scroll has extensive and severe creasing, breaks and tears, as well as unstable and powdering pigments. Microscopic observation and scientific analyses were performed both to document the current condition of the scroll and to better understand its long history. Combining RIS and MAXRF allowed for pigment characterization through elemental and molecular information. While RIS and MAXRF previously have been applied to the study of other painted materials, their application to East Asian paintings is rare. The obstacles of the scroll’s length and fragile uneven surface were overcome by optimizing the setups of the two imaging systems. The MAXRF and RIS analyses, here focused on a select scene of the scroll, found certain original pigments common in early Japanese scroll paintings were used frequently, such as vermilion, iron-based compounds (yellow and red ochres), and copper-containing greens, while others occurred sparingly, such as azurite and red lead. A chloride-containing lead-based white pigment was employed. Faded organic colorants, notably indigo as well as an organic yellow/brown, could be detected but their vibrancy has been muted over the centuries. In the case of indigo, it may be visibly observed in some areas; however, analysis revealed its previously unknown presence mixed with a copper green in a select area. This focused study sets a foundation for further studies on both this object and other Asian works of art.
Development and validation of the predictive risk of death model for adult patients admitted to intensive care units in Japan: an approach to improve the accuracy of healthcare quality measures
Authors: Endo Hideki , Uchino Shigehiko , Hashimoto Satoru , Aoki Yoshitaka , Hashiba Eiji , Hatakeyama Junji , Hayakawa Katsura , Ichihara Nao , Irie Hiromasa , Kawasaki Tatsuya , Kumasawa Junji , Kurosawa Hiroshi , Nakamura Tomoyuki , Ohbe Hiroyuki , Okamoto Hiroshi , Shigemitsu Hidenobu , Tagami Takashi , Takaki Shunsuke , Takimoto Kohei , Uchida Masatoshi , Miyata Hiroaki
Published: February 2021

Background

The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III-j model is widely used to predict mortality in Japanese intensive care units (ICUs). Although the model’s discrimination is excellent, its calibration is poor. APACHE III-j overestimates the risk of death, making its evaluation of healthcare quality inaccurate. This study aimed to improve the calibration of the model and develop a Japan Risk of Death (JROD) model for benchmarking purposes.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted using a national clinical registry of ICU patients in Japan. Adult patients admitted to an ICU between April 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019, were included. The APACHE III-j model was recalibrated with the following models: Model 1, predicting mortality with an offset variable for the linear predictor of the APACHE III-j model using a generalized linear model; model 2, predicting mortality with the linear predictor of the APACHE III-j model using a generalized linear model; and model 3, predicting mortality with the linear predictor of the APACHE III-j model using a hierarchical generalized additive model. Model performance was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), the Brier score, and the modified Hosmer–Lemeshow test. To confirm model applicability to evaluating quality of care, funnel plots of the standardized mortality ratio and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) charts for mortality were drawn.

Results

In total, 33,557 patients from 44 ICUs were included in the study population. ICU mortality was 3.8%, and hospital mortality was 8.1%. The AUROC, Brier score, and modified Hosmer–Lemeshow p value of the original model and models 1, 2, and 3 were 0.915, 0.062, and < .001; 0.915, 0.047, and < .001; 0.915, 0.047, and .002; and 0.917, 0.047, and .84, respectively. Except for model 3, the funnel plots showed overdispersion. The validity of the EWMA charts for the recalibrated models was determined by visual inspection.

Conclusions

Model 3 showed good performance and can be adopted as the JROD model for monitoring quality of care in an ICU, although further investigation of the clinical validity of outlier detection is required. This update method may also be useful in other settings.
Vehicular trajectory estimation utilizing slip angle based on GNSS Doppler/IMU
Authors: Takikawa Kanamu , Atsumi Yoshiki , Takanose Aoki , Meguro Junichi
Published: February 2021

Accurate vehicular trajectory estimation is important for the recently developed autonomous driving systems. As the accuracy of the vehicular trajectory estimation is reduced with the slippage that occurs during turning, we propose a method in this study to accurately estimate the trajectory of a vehicle, focusing on the slip angle estimation. Although the two-wheel model is used as a general concept slip angle estimation, the accurate estimation of the parameters was difficult using the conventional methods. Therefore, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) Doppler was used for parameter estimation. In addition, the roll angle was estimated as it occurs during turning and affects the slip angle of the vehicle. Specifically, we verified the improvement in accuracy of the vehicular trajectory estimation using the cost-effective GNSS Doppler/IMU.
Detecting depression using an ensemble classifier based on Quality of Life scales
Authors: Tao Xiaohui , Chi Oliver , Delaney Patrick J. , Li Lin , Huang Jiajin
Published: February 2021

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an issue that affects 350 million people worldwide. Traditional approaches have been to identify depressive symptoms in datasets, but recently, research is beginning to explore the association between psychosocial factors such as those on the quality of life scale and mental well-being, which will lead to earlier diagnosis and prediction of MDD. In this research, an ensemble binary classifier is proposed to analyse health survey data against ground truth from the SF-20 Quality of Life scales. The classifier aims to improve the performance of machine learning techniques on large datasets and identify depressed cases based on associations between items on the QoL scale and mental illness by increasing predictive performance. On the experimental evaluation on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the classifier demonstrated an F1 score of 0.976 in the prediction, without any incorrectly identified depression instances. Only about 4% of instances had been mistakenly classified into depressed cases, with a significant accuracy of 95.4% comparing to the result from PHQ-9 mental screen inventory. The presented ensemble binary classifier performed comparably better than each baseline algorithm in all measures and all experiments. We trained the ensemble model on the processed NHANES dataset, tested and evaluated the results of its performance against mental screen inventory and discussed the comparable predictions. Finally, we provided future research directions.
Bowel obstruction due to Chlamydia trachomatis: a case report and review of literature
Authors: Shibasaki Yuta , Sohda Makoto , Ogawa Hiroomi , Katayama Chika , Ozawa Naoya , Komine Chika , Suga Kunihiko , Osone Katsuya , Okada Takuhisa , Shiraishi Takuya , Katoh Ryuji , Yokobori Takehiko , Sano Akihiko , Sakai Makoto , Shirabe Ken , Saeki Hiroshi
Published: February 2021

Background

Chlamydial infection is a difficult-to-diagnose type of sexually transmitted disease that occurs mainly in young people. We report a case of bowel obstruction caused by intrapelvic adhesions formed by chlamydial infection.

Case presentation

This patient was a 23-year-old woman who had been suffering from acute abdominal pain. She had been previously treated several times for intrapelvic abscesses and had a history of chlamydial infection. Endometriosis was thought to be the cause of her pelvic abscess based on endoscopic findings. Computed tomography demonstrated a small bowel obstruction caused by a pelvic abscess. However, the diagnosis could not be confirmed. She underwent laparoscopic surgery and was diagnosed with bowel obstruction due to adhesion of chlamydial infection based on the intraoperative findings andChlamydia trachomatisantibody test. She was discharged 5 days after surgery.

Conclusions

It is necessary to consider the possibility of chlamydial infection as a cause for lower abdominal pain and unexplained bowel obstruction in female patients.
Facilitation in the soil microbiome does not necessarily lead to niche expansion
Authors: Zhou Xue , Leite Márcio F. A. , Zhang Zhenqing , Tian Lei , Chang Jingjing , Ma Lina , Li Xiujun , van Veen Johannes A. , Tian Chunjie , Kuramae Eiko E.
Published: February 2021

Background

The soil microbiome drives soil ecosystem function, and soil microbial functionality is directly linked to interactions between microbes and the soil environment. However, the context-dependent interactions in the soil microbiome remain largely unknown.

Results

Using latent variable models (LVMs), we disentangle the biotic and abiotic interactions of soil bacteria, fungi and environmental factors using the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau soil ecosystem as a model. Our results show that soil bacteria and fungi not only interact with each other but also shift from competition to facilitation or vice versa depending on environmental variation; that is, the nature of their interactions is context-dependent.

Conclusions

Overall, elevation is the environmental gradient that most promotes facilitative interactions among microbes but is not a major driver of soil microbial community composition, as evidenced by variance partitioning. The larger the tolerance of a microbe to a specific environmental gradient, the lesser likely it is to interact with other soil microbes, which suggests that facilitation does not necessarily lead to niche expansion.
Lessons learned from a randomized controlled trial on a home delivered meal service in advanced cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a pilot study
Authors: IJmker-Hemink Vera , Lize Nora , Beijer Sandra , Raijmakers Natasja , Wanten Geert , van den Berg Manon
Published: February 2021

Background

Performing a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in the field of nutrition is challenging and success highly depends on understanding the factors that influence recruitment and dropout of participants. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of a RCT that evaluated a home delivered meal service in advanced cancer patients while receiving chemotherapy.

Methods

This pilot RCT aimed to enroll 20 participants who were randomized into the home delivered meal service group or usual care group. Study procedures took place before chemotherapy (T0), 3 weeks after T0 (T1), 6 weeks after T0 (T2) and 3 months after T2 (T3). All information regarding recruitment, dropout and study procedures was recorded. Patient satisfaction was assessed by in-depth interviews.

Results

Over 7 months, 20 of 41 approached patients (49%) were included, followed by a dropout rate of 35%. At baseline, hand grip strength (n = 8/16), the Short Physical Performance Battery (n = 12/16) and nutritional intake (n = 8/16) had the highest rate of missing values. Study procedures were not experienced as burdensome and planning of these procedures in line with fixed hospital appointments contributed to this low burden. Keeping the symptom diary was mentioned as being burdensome.

Conclusions

It is feasible to conduct a RCT on a home delivered meal service in advanced cancer patients during chemotherapy, although recruitment is challenging. Close contact of patients with recruiting personnel is essential to sustain motivation. To increase compliance with the study protocol it is important to carefully instruct participants on how to complete questionnaires and to emphasize to use these in the communication with their practitioners.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03382171.
Can they stomach it? Parent and practitioner acceptability of a trial comparing gastric residual volume measurement versus no gastric residual volume in UK NNU and PICUs: a feasibility study
Authors: Deja Elizabeth , Roper Louise , Tume Lyvonne N. , Dorling Jon , Gale Chris , Arch Barbara , Latten Lynne , Pathan Nazima , Eccleson Helen , Hickey Helen , Preston Jenny , Beissel Anne , Andrzejewska Izabela , Valla Frédéric V. , Woolfall Kerry
Published: February 2021

Background

Routine measurement of gastric residual volume (GRV) to guide feeding in neonatal and paediatric intensive care is widespread. However, this practice is not evidence based and may cause harm. As part of a feasibility study, we explored parent and practitioner views on the acceptability of a trial comparing GRV measurement or no GRV measurement.

Methods

A mixed-methods study involving interviews and focus groups with practitioners and interviews with parents with experience of tube feeding in neonatal and/or paediatric intensive care. A voting system recorded closed question responses during practitioner data collection, enabling the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics.

Results

We interviewed 31 parents and nine practitioners and ran five practitioner focus groups (n=42). Participants described how the research question was logical, and the intervention would not be invasive and potential benefits of not withholding the child’s feeds. However, both groups held concerns about the potential risk of not measuring GRV, including delayed diagnosis of infection and gut problems, increased risk of vomiting into lungs and causing discomfort or pain. Parent’s views on GRV measurement and consent decision making were influenced by their views on the importance of feeding in the ICU, their child’s prognosis and associated comorbidities or complications.

Conclusions

The majority of parents and practitioners viewed the proposed trial as acceptable. Potential concerns and preferences were identified that will need careful consideration to inform the development of the proposed trial protocol and staff training.
Intraocular silicone oil brain migration associated with severe subacute headaches: a case report
Authors: Mazzeo Thiago José Muniz Machado , Jacob Gabriel Almeida Veiga , Horizonte Paulo Henrique , Leber Henrique Monteiro , Gomes André Marcelo Vieira
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The aim of this article is to report a rare case in which a patient presented symptomatic silicon oil brain migration, documented by MRI, several years after vitreoretinal surgery.

Methods

This is a case report with a prospective literature review.

Patients

The patient described in the case report.

Results

Case report.

Discussion/conclusions

For several years, silicone oil (SiO) has been widely used as a long-term intravitreal tamponading agent to treat complex retinal detachments. There are rare reports in the literature demonstrating the migration of SiO into the brain. The aim of this article is to report a rare case in which the patient presented severe headaches several years after vitreoretinal surgery, with migrated SiO appearing in MRI as an oval lesion within the horn of the right lateral ventricle. To the best of our knowledge, there are very few reports of symptomatic SiO brain migration in the literature.
Surveillance of post-cataract endophthalmitis at a tertiary referral center: a 10-year critical evaluation
Authors: Kato Juliana Mika , Tanaka Tatiana , de Oliveira Luiza Manhezi Shin , de Oliveira Maura Salaroli , Rossi Flavia , Goldbaum Mauro , Pimentel Sergio Luis Gianotti , de Almeida Junior João Nóbrega , Yamamoto Joyce Hisae
Published: February 2021

Background

Acute post-cataract endophthalmitis (APE) is a rare complication potentially causing irreversible visual loss. A 10-year study of APE was conducted to determine its incidence, microbiological spectra and antibiotic resistance profile of APE-related pathogens at a major tertiary referral center in Brazil.

Methods

APE cases reported between January 2010 and December 2019 were included. Phacoemulsification and extracapsular cataract techniques were eligible; combined procedures, traumatic and congenital cataract were excluded. Vitreous samples were cultured and antimicrobial resistance was compared for the periods of 2010–2014 and 2015–2019. The results were analyzed with Fisher’s exact test.

Results

Our sample consisted of 40,491 cataract surgeries and 51 (0.126%) APE cases. Culture was positive in 35 cases (71.4%), of which 31 (88.6%) Gram-positive, 3 (8.6%) Gram-negative, and 1 (2.9%) fungal. The most frequently isolated organism was Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 17/35, 48.6%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n = 4/35, 11.4%). From 2010–2014 to 2015–2019, antimicrobial resistance increased against moxifloxacin (11.1–54.5%, p = 0.07), ciprofloxacin (54.5–72.7%, p = 0.659) and oxacillin (66.7–93.3%, p = 0.13).

Conclusions

The observed incidence and microbial spectra were compatible with previous studies. A trend towards growing moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin resistance was observed. Surveillance remains crucial to prevent treatment failure from antimicrobial resistance.
Re-evaluation of solutions to the problem of unprofessionalism in peer review
Authors: Gerwing Travis G. , Allen Gerwing Alyssa M. , Choi Chi-Yeung , Avery-Gomm Stephanie , Clements Jeff C. , Rash Joshua A.
Published: February 2021

Our recent paper (10.1186/s41073-020-00096-x) reported that 43% of reviewer comment sets (n=1491) shared with authors contained at least one unprofessional comment or an incomplete, inaccurate of unsubstantiated critique (IIUC). Publication of this work sparked an online (i.e., Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit) conversation surrounding professionalism in peer review. We collected and analyzed these social media comments as they offered real-time responses to our work and provided insight into the views held by commenters and potential peer-reviewers that would be difficult to quantify using existing empirical tools (96 comments from July 24th to September 3rd, 2020). Overall, 75% of comments were positive, of which 59% were supportive and 16% shared similar personal experiences. However, a subset of negative comments emerged (22% of comments were negative and 6% were an unsubstantiated critique of the methodology), that provided potential insight into the reasons underlying unprofessional comments were made during the peer-review process. These comments were classified into three main themes: (1) forced niceness will adversely impact the peer-review process and allow for publication of poor-quality science (5% of online comments); (2) dismissing comments as not offensive to another person because they were not deemed personally offensive to the reader (6%); and (3) authors brought unprofessional comments upon themselves as they submitted substandard work (5%). Here, we argue against these themes as justifications for directing unprofessional comments towards authors during the peer review process. We argue that it is possible to be both critical and professional, and that no author deserves to be the recipient of demeaning ad hominem attacks regardless of supposed provocation. Suggesting otherwise only serves to propagate a toxic culture within peer review. While we previously postulated that establishing a peer-reviewer code of conduct could help improve the peer-review system, we now posit that priority should be given to repairing the negative cultural zeitgeist that exists in peer-review.
Eye movements reflect expertise development in hybrid search
Authors: Papesh Megan H. , Hout Michael C. , Guevara Pinto Juan D. , Robbins Arryn , Lopez Alexis
Published: February 2021

Domain-specific expertise changes the way people perceive, process, and remember information from that domain. This is often observed in visual domains involving skilled searches, such as athletics referees, or professional visual searchers (e.g., security and medical screeners). Although existing research has compared expert to novice performance in visual search, little work has directly documented how accumulating experiences change behavior. A longitudinal approach to studying visual search performance may permit a finer-grained understanding of experience-dependent changes in visual scanning, and the extent to which various cognitive processes are affected by experience. In this study, participants acquired experience by taking part in many experimental sessions over the course of an academic semester. Searchers looked for 20 categories of targets simultaneously (which appeared with unequal frequency),
in displays with 0–3 targets present, while having their eye movements recorded. With experience, accuracy increased and response times decreased. Fixation probabilities and durations decreased with increasing experience, but saccade amplitudes and visual span increased. These findings suggest that the behavioral benefits endowed by expertise emerge from oculomotor behaviors that reflect enhanced reliance on memory to guide attention and the ability to process more of the visual field within individual fixations.
A starring role for inference in the neurocognition of visual narratives
Authors: Cohn Neil
Published: February 2021

Research in verbal and visual narratives has often emphasized backward-looking inferences, where absent information is subsequently inferred. However, comics use conventions like star-shaped “action stars” where a readerknowsevents are undepictedat that moment,rather than omitted entirely. We contrasted the event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to visual narratives depicting an explicit event, an action star, or a “noise” panel of scrambled lines. Both action stars and noise panels evoked large N400s compared to explicit-events (300–500 ms), but action stars and noise panels then differed in their later effects (500–900 ms). Action stars elicited sustained negativities and P600s, which could indicate further interpretive processes and integration of meaning into a mental model, while noise panels evoked late frontal positivities possibly indexing that they were improbable narrative units. Nevertheless, panels following action stars and noise panels both evoked late sustained negativities, implying further inferential processing. Inference in visual narratives thus uses cascading mechanisms resembling those in language processing that differ based on the inferential techniques.
CT-derived sarcopenia should not preclude surgical stabilization of traumatic rib fractures
Authors: Doolittle Derrick A. , Hernandez Matthew C. , Baffour Francis I. , Moynagh Michael R. , Takahashi Naoki , Froemming Adam T. , Glazebrook Katrina N. , Kim Brian D.
Published: February 2021

Background

Rib fractures are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) can be performed to mitigate complications. Sarcopenia is in general known to be associated with poor clinical outcomes. We investigated if sarcopenia impacted number of days of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and total hospital stay in patients who underwent SSRF.

Methods

A retrospective single institutional review was performed including patients who underwent SSRF (2009–2017). Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was semiautomatically calculated at the L3 spinal level on computed tomography (CT) images and normalized by patient height. Sarcopenia was defined as SMI < 55 cm2/m2 in males and < 39 cm2/m2 in females. Demographics, operative details, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results

Of 238 patients, 88 (36.9%) had sarcopenia. There was no significant difference in number of days of mechanical ventilation (2.8 ± 4.9 versus 3.1 ± 4.3, p = 0.304), ICU stay (5.9 ± 6.5 versus 4.9 ± 5.7 days, p = 0.146), or total hospital stay (13.3 ± 7.2 versus 12.9 ± 8.2 days, p = 0.183) between sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic patients. Sarcopenic patients demonstrated increased modified frailty index scores (1.5 ± 1.1 versus 0.9 ± 0.9, p < 0.001) compared to nonsarcopenic patients.

Conclusions

For patients who underwent SSRF for rib fractures, sarcopenia did not increase the number of days of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, or total hospital stay. Sarcopenia should not preclude the utilization of SSRF in these patients.
The mitigating effect of Ananas comosus on aluminum-induced oxidative stress on the testes of adult male Wistar rats
Authors: Leko Bankole J. , Olawuyi Solomon T. , Okon Lawrence U.
Published: February 2021

Background

The mitigating effect ofAnanas comosus(pineapple juice) extract on an aluminum-induced testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats was examined in this study. Thirty healthy adult male Wistar rats with an average weight of 200 g were grouped into six groups; distilled water and 1 ml of pineapple juice extracts were administered to the control and treated animals respectively for 3 weeks. The control group was given rat pellets and distilled water. Negative control was given 100mg/kg/d Aluminum Chloride and pellets; Group 1 was given 100mg/kg/d and 1ml of pineapple juice in distilled water orally; Group 2 was given 100mg/kg/d Aluminum Chloride and 1.5 ml of in distilled water orally; group 3 was given 100 mg/kg/day aluminum chloride and 2 ml of pineapple juice in distilled water orally; group 4 was given 100 mg/kg/day aluminum chloride and 2.5 ml of pineapple juice in distilled water orally. Testicular histology, semen parameters, and testosterone were assessed.

Results

This study showed a significant (P< 0.05) decrease in testicular volume, motile sperm count, concentration, total count, progressive evaluation, and morphology in the negative control group relative to the normal control and extract control groups. In the groups co-treated with aluminum chloride andAnanas comosusextract, there was improvement in sperm volume, motility, total count, progressive assessment, and morphology. There was also a statistical decrease (P< 0.05) in testosterone hormone in the negative control group, but there was an increase in the aluminum chloride andAnanas comosusextract co-treated groups. Similarly, in co-treated aluminum chloride andAnanas comosusextract, the degenerative seminiferous tubule histoarchitecture due to aluminum chloride in the negative control group was enhanced.

Conclusion

Based on this current study, it was evident that aluminum chloride induced oxidative stress and retarded reproduction in males whereasAnanas comosusmitigated reproduction in males by improving sperm parameters and microarchitecture of the testes.
Characterization and potential antifungal activities of three Streptomyces spp. as biocontrol agents against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary infecting green bean
Authors: Gebily Doha A. S. , Ghanem Gamal A. M. , Ragab Mona M. , Ali Ayat M. , Soliman Nour El-din K. , Abd El-Moity Tawfik H.
Published: February 2021

Background

White mold disease, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum the devastating pathogen, attacks green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and several crops worldwide. The present investigation was carried out to introduce some antagonistic microorganisms as novel antifungal substances to be an alternative and secure method to effectively control the disease.

Results

Three Streptomyces species, i.e., S. griseus (MT210913 “DG5”), S. rochei (MN700192 “DG4”), and S. sampsonii (MN700191 “DG1”) were isolated, biologically, molecularly characterized, and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Molecularly, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and nucleotide sequencing were used to characterize the pathogen and bio-agents. PCR amplification of the pathogen and Streptomyces species (bioagents) exhibited amplicons of around 535 bp and 1300 bp, respectively. The nucleotide sequence analysis of the three Streptomyces spp. indicated that S. rochei was closely related to S. griseus, and both had a distance relationship with S. sampsonii. The evaluation of bioagents was carried out against S. sclerotiorum. Reduction percentages in the mycelial growth of the pathogen ranged between 60.17 and 52.30%, indicating that S. rochie gave the highest inhibition percent. Incorporations of Streptomyces spp. culture filtrate components into culture media proved that S. sampsonii was more efficient as a bioagent in reducing mycelial growth pathogen by 84.50%. The effectiveness of the bioagent volatile compounds inhibited the pathogen growth at a rate of 54.50-72.54%, respectively, revealing that S. rochei was the highest inhibitor followed by S. griseus. The parasitic activity of Streptomyces spp. upon S. sclerotiorum showed deformation, contraction, and collapse when observed by light and scanning electron microscopy. Molecular characterization of the 3 Streptomyces spp. revealed that S. griseus was closely related to S. sampsonii (96%), secondly ranked by S. rochei (93.1%). Viability and germination of pathogen sclerotia were reduced when they dipped into the Streptomyces spore suspensions for 10, 20, and 30 days. Application of the 3 Streptomyces spp. in the field proved a great potential to control the disease.

Conclusions

The results suggested that the 3 Streptomyces strains and their secondary metabolites can be potential biocontrol agents and biofertilizers for controlling S. sclerotiorum, the causative agent of bean white mold disease.
Shaping ability of two heat treated rotary NiTi instruments using different kinematics/in vitro study
Authors: Kataia Engy M. , Nagy Mohamed Mokhtar , Kataia Mohamed M. , Khalil Hala Fayek
Published: February 2021

Background

Comparing shaping ability of Azure and Fanta AF One in rotation and reciprocation. This study was conducted on 40 resin blocks, having canal curvatures 30°-angle and of 16-mm length. The blocks were assigned to 4-groups according to the instrument and motion used: Azure/Rotation (A/Rt), Fanta AF one/Rotation (F/Rt), Azure/Reciprocation (A/Rec) and Fanta AF one/Reciprocation (F/Rec). For both systems single file 25, taper 0.06 were used. Digital images were taken before and after instrumentation. Adobe Photoshop was used to overlap post and pre-instrumentation images to assess canal transportation at 1, 4, 7-mm; representing apical, middle and cervical levels respectively. Stopwatch was used to document the time taken for canal preparation. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc test, used to compare between more than two groups in non-related samples.

Results

At the apical level, no statistically significant difference was found between both files in either rotation or reciprocation. However, reciprocation motion showed significantly lower transportation levels in both files. No significant difference was found among groups at the middle and cervical levels. Regarding preparation time, Reciprocation in both groups was significantly longer.

Conclusions

The use of reciprocation motion showed minimized apical canal transportation in both files however in longer preparation time.
The role of IL-4 gene polymorphism in HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients
Authors: Abd-Elfattah Mohy-Eldin , Naguib Mary , Elkheer Mohammed , Abdelsameea Eman , Nada Ali
Published: February 2021

Background

Interleukin-4 (IL-4), a pleiotropic anti-inflammatory cytokine, is produced mainly by activated T helper 2 (Th2). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typical inflammation-related cancer. Alterations influencing IL-4 expression may disturb immune response and may be associated with HCC risk. We aimed to verify role of IL4 gene polymorphism (IL-4-589C/T (rs2243250)) in HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients. IL-4-589C/T (rs2243250) polymorphism was examined in 50 patients with HCC on top of HCV, 40 patients with HCV-induced liver cirrhosis, and 30 healthy controls using the polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism method.

Results

Overall IL-4 gene polymorphism (IL-4-589C/T (rs2243250)) showed significant difference between hepatocellular carcinoma group versus liver cirrhosis and healthy control groups. TT homozygous genotype was more prevalent in HCC group (24%) versus (5%) in liver cirrhosis and (3.3%) in control. TT homozygous genotype had 10 times more risk of hepatocellular carcinoma versus healthy control group and 6.33 times more risk versus cirrhotic patients group (p value = 0.018 and 0.016 respectively).

Conclusion

IL-4-589C/T (rs2243250) polymorphism, TT homozygous genetic model, may be a risk factor in HCV-related HCC in Egyptian patients.
Prescription Patterns, Initiation, and 5-Year Adherence to Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy Among Commercially Insured Patients With Breast Cancer
Authors: Zhao Hui , Lei Xiudong , Niu Jiangong , Zhang Ning , Duan Zhigang , Chavez-MacGregor Mariana , Giordano Sharon H.
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND:

Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are used as adjuvant hormonal therapy (AHT) for early-stage hormone receptor–positive (HR+) breast cancer. Treatment for 5 years reduces cancer mortality by 30%. Despite this benefit, adherence to AHT has been suboptimal. Here, we evaluated AHT initiation and patient adherence in women with private health insurance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Female patients with breast cancer ≥ 18 years of age who underwent mastectomy or lumpectomy between 1999 and 2015 were identified in the IBM MarketScan Research Database. AHT initiation and adherence rates were estimated for all AHT users regardless of HR+ status. Initiation rates were standardized using HR+ breast cancer incidence rates in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. Adherence was defined as medication possession ratio ≥ 80%. Risk ratios, odds ratios, and their 95% CIs were calculated for factors associated with patients' initiation and adherence.

RESULTS:

Among 80,224 patients, the raw initiation rate was 71.8% and the standardized rate was 87.5%. We found 61.2% patients initiated treatment with AIs and 38.8% with tamoxifen. Patients' 1-year adherence rate was 84.4% and the 5-year rate was 65.2%. Prescription by mail-in order, using a single AHT regimen, 50 to 69 years of age, monthly out-of-pocket drug payment ≤ $11, in US dollars, no depression, no comorbidity, living in the Northeast, treatment in recent years, and receipt of a combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery were associated with better adherence.

CONCLUSION:

Five-year AHT adherence rates are low among female patients with breast cancer with private health insurance. Effective approaches to improve AHT adherence are needed.
The Long Endless Railroads, the Blowing of Winds, and the Invention of the Hebrew Mood
Authors: Berdichevsky Dina
Published: February 2021

This article explores the moment of “invention” of the Hebrew mood. Around the year 1900 a new expression for mood appeared in Hebrew: matsav ruah. The articulation of a new linguistic expression was paralleled by the rise of an original atmospheric prose, mood prose, in Hebrew. By analyzing these parallel events, the article suggests that the matsav ruah of the early 1900s was a new form of self-experience and that this new form stimulated original poetic language created by a cohort of Hebrew, East European writers, including Yosef Hayim Brenner, Uri Nissan Gnessin, and others. The author suggests that, with mood, Hebrew prose figuratively stretched language itself, giving form to a new sense of “being there.” Furthermore, this poetics of mood offered authors an alternative to psychological realist prose and to the fixed subject position it implied. Thus, this article suggests that Hebrew phrasing and poetics of mood offer a potent concept for the analysis of epistemological foundations of early twentieth-century modernism in Hebrew literature while drawing an outline for a wider, comparative view on early twentieth-century European modernism in light of the concept of mood.
Rethinking Diaspora through Borders: Contemporary Somali Literature in English and Italian
Authors: Lazzari Gabriele
Published: February 2021

This article examines contemporary Somali diasporic literature by proposing a comparative analysis of Nuruddin Farah’s Maps and a selection of texts written by authors of Somali origin currently writing in Italian: Shirin Ramzanali Fazel, Cristina Ubah Ali Farah, and Igiaba Scego. Drawing on diaspora studies, theories of narrative space, and contemporary theories of world literature, this article argues that Somali diasporic literature places at its imaginative and symbolic core the concept of the border. In so doing, Somali diasporic literature interlocks formal and narrative strategies to political and literary histories in order to challenge the naturalized perception of linguistic and territorial boundaries. Through the investigation of how processes of border production and contestation define both the narrative geographies and the dynamics of institutional recognition of Somali literature written by the members of its global diaspora, this article further suggests that Somali diasporic writers engage with border epistemologies to articulate more historically conscious modalities of belonging to place and language.
The Strange and the Familiar in theThousand and One Nights
Authors: Quint David
Published: February 2021

This analysis of the structure and meaning of The Tale of the Hunchback, the most novelistic of the tales of the Thousand and One Nights, shows how the Nights stages the relationship of reader to fiction (the fictitious lives of others) as a power relationship and in terms of distance and familiarity. Through its juxtaposition of stories, the tale anatomizes fortunate and unfortunate human lives; it dramatizes the latter through the practical joke. The tale and its storyteller, Shahrazad, try to teach brotherhood and compassion for human weakness to a reader figured as an all-powerful Caliph-King who demands to be amused by the strange and who laughs at stories of the unfortunate. This reader’s power vis-à-vis the stories presented to him is above all to dismiss them as fictions that do not apply to him, as freakish as the deformed hunchback entertainer for whom the stories substitute within the tale. The tale and the larger Nights show how the estrangement that is the means of literary fiction can lie at cross-purposes with the ethical end of self-recognition and empathetic identification with others.
Interdomain interactions regulate the localization of a lipid transfer protein at ER-PM contact sites
Authors: Basak Bishal , Krishnan Harini , Raghu Padinjat
Published: February 2021

During phospholipase C-β (PLC-β) signalling in Drosophila photoreceptors, the phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (PITP) RDGB, is required for lipid transfer at endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–plasma membrane (PM) contact sites (MCS). Depletion of RDGB or its mis-localization away from the ER–PM MCS results in multiple defects in photoreceptor function. Previously, the interaction between the FFAT motif of RDGB and the integral ER protein dVAP-A was shown to be essential for accurate localization to ER–PM MCS. Here, we report that the FFAT/dVAP-A interaction alone is insufficient to localize RDGB accurately; this also requires the function of the C-terminal domains, DDHD and LNS2. Mutations in each of these domains results in mis-localization of RDGB leading to loss of function. While the LNS2 domain is necessary, it is not sufficient for the correct localization of RDGB, which also requires the C-terminal DDHD domain. The function of the DDHD domain is mediated through an intramolecular interaction with the LNS2 domain. Thus, interactions between the additional domains in a multi-domain PITP together lead to accurate localization at the MCS and signalling function.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Diffusion-weighted MRI of ischemic stroke at 3T: Value of synthetic b-values
Authors: Sartoretti Thomas , Sartoretti Elisabeth , Wyss Michael , Mannil Manoj , van Smoorenburg Luuk , Eichenberger Barbara , Reischauer Carolin , Alfieri Alex , Binkert Christoph , Sartoretti-Schefer Sabine
Published: February 2021

Objectives:

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of ischemic stroke. We assessed the value of computed and acquired high b-value DWI in comparison with conventional b = 1000 s mm−2 DWI for ischemic stroke at 3T.

Methods:

We included 36 patients with acute ischemic stroke who presented with diffusion abnormalities on DWI performed within 24 h of symptom onset. B-values of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 s mm−2 were acquired. Synthetic images with b-values of 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 s mm−2 were computed. Two readers compared synthetic (syn) and acquired (acq) b = 2000 s mm−2 images with acquired b = 1000 s mm−2 images in terms of lesion detection rate, image quality, presence of uncertain hyperintensities and lesion conspicuity. Readers also selected their preferred b-value. Contrast ratio (CR) measurements were performed. Non-parametrical statistical tests and weighted Cohens’ κ tests were computed.

Results:

Syn1000 and syn1500 matched acq1000 images in terms of lesion detection rate, image quality and presence of uncertain hyperintensities but presented with significantly improved lesion conspicuity (p < 0.01) and were frequently selected as preferred b-values. Acq2000 images exhibited a similar lesion detection rate and improved lesion conspicuity (p < 0.01) but worse image quality (p < 0.01) than acq1000 images. Syn2000 and syn2500 images performed significantly worse (p < 0.01) than acq1000 images in most or all categories. CR significantly increased with increasing b-values.

Conclusion:

Synthetic images at b = 1000 and 1500 s mm−2 and acquired DWI images at b = 2000 s mm−2 may be of clinical value due to improved lesion conspicuity.

Advances in knowledge:

Synthetic b-values enable improved lesion conspicuity for DWI of ischemic stroke.
Cost evaluation in adult ICU: α two-year study in a Greek State Hospital
Authors: Kosmidis Dimitrios , Koutsouki Sotiria , Lampiri Klairi , Nagy Eva Ottilia , Anastassopoulos George , Papaioannou Vasilios , Pnevmatikos Ioannis
Published: February 2021

Background: During the last decades the combination of international economic and healthcare crisis has led to pressure on healthcare systems and has made financial evaluations particularly important.Aim: To measure the total cost in ICUs, to analyze its components, and their changes during the study period.Method and Material: All cost components in four cost categories (direct-variable, direct-fixed, indirect-variable, and indirect-fixed) of all patients admitted in a 6-bed mixed type adult ICU in a general (non-university) hospital of northern Greece in two consecutive periods, with total duration 2 years was measured. The direct-variable cost (medications, consumables, and diagnostic tests) was assessed with bottom-up (micro-costing) method while for the cost components of rest three categories the top-down (attributable costing) was used. Results: In a 331 patients’ sample with 2823 total patient days, the sum cost was 2,417,788€ (1,370,420€ and 1,047,368€ in 1st and 2nd period respectively). The direct variable cost was 897,866.07€ (37.14%), the direct-fixed 1,049,068.6€ (43.39%), the indirect-variable 45,210.6€ (1.87%), and the indirect-fixed 425,643.0€ (17.60%). The mean daily cost per patient was 835.62€ and 885.35€, and the total cost per patient was 7,967.6€ and 6,587.2€ in the two periods of study respectively. The total cost of all non-survivors’ patients (N=85, 25.7%) was 595,009.1€ and the efficiency cost per survivor 9,828.4€. The mean daily cost and the total cost per survivor was 840.8€ and 7,409.7€ while for non-survivors was και 908.4€ and 7,000.1€ respectively. During the second study period, a reduction in total costs was observed and especially in direct-variable category attributed mainly to the prices of medicines consumables, and staff gradual costs reductions.Conclusions: Changes in cost categories vary over time due to social and financial factors while the variables as the ICU environment or patient’s characteristics as severity of disease are the main cost drivers. Monitoring and recording of cost components variance would help with valuable information to healthcare managers, doctors, or nursing leaders. Extending this study with a multicenter to more ICUs could provide clearer conclusions about cost variability.