bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection and mapping of May 2021 flood in Beaufort, Sabah using Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-2 multispectral in Google Earth Engine
Authors: Suab Stanley Anak , Supe Hitesh , Avtar Ram , Dambul Ramzah , Chen Xinyu
Published: July 2022

Recurring floods severely impacted the livelihood and socio-economic. It causes disruption of clean water, electricity, communications, properties damages and sometimes loss of life. Information on flooded areas is crucial for effective emergency responses support. In this study we used Sentinel 1 (S-1) C-band and Sentinel 2 (S-2) Multispectral satellite imageries where wider area covered in 12 days repeat satellite pass. The flood event on the 26 May 2021 was identified and we retrieved the S-1 GRD SAR imagery and S-2 level-2A BOA in GEE environment. We analysed the S-1 VV, VH, VV/VH imagery by pixels clustering using object based SNIC classification and Machine Learning (ML) algorithm for extraction of waterbody. Meanwhile for the S-2 we used MNDWI and extracted the waterbody area using thresholding value. We obtained the final flooded area of S-1 and S-2 by subtraction with permanent waterbody. The S-2 flood estimation results were better than S-1. However, S-2 limited to cloud free and less cloudy coverage while S-1 lacking of ability to identify flood in detailed was influenced by slope shadow area. This study provides the basis of detection and mapping floods using S-1 and S-2 imageries through Machine Learning techniques in GEE for local scope of Sabah, Borneo region and Malaysia.
Monitoring green biomass utilizing remote sensing techniques for agriculture and forest areas in East Malaysia
Authors: Razali Sheriza Mohd , Samdin Zaiton , Lion Marryanna , Atuchar Arnaldo Marin
Published: July 2022

Forests and agricultural plantations are vegetated areas that play an important role in catering to human needs. The characteristics of the two lands can be recognized by utilizing remote sensing techniques of WorldView-2 satellite images as green biomass monitoring tools. The research was undertaken in Sabah Softwoods Berhad (SSB) forest plantation, East Malaysia, to analyze land use in the high functionality areas. Aside from the social benefits, there has been a lack of research conducted to estimate the areas’ Net Primary Productivity (NPP) using remote sensing of biophysical characteristics. The NPP quantifies the biomass generated by the green plants, which provides the chemical energy that drives most of the biotic processes on the Earth. The NPP calculated from the study for all land features in the study areas ranged from 39.33 gCm−2 month−1 to 1498.00 gCm-2 month-1. This work has established a new NPP assessment for all land features in the Brumas forest plantation in East Malaysia. Because NPP is an estimate of the earth’s living biomass, this type of approach should be used to develop biomass maps to meet human requirements on the planet.
Web GIS Development for National COVID-19 Immunization Programme
Authors: Yeap W C
Published: July 2022

Sustainable coordination and certainty of delivery are essential to achieving holistic COVID-19 vaccination, which covers the whole country. On November 4th 2020, the National Security Council (NSC) has structured the COVID-19 Risk Area Geo-Data Working Group, which consists of the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU), Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM), Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), PLAN Malaysia and Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA). As of February 2021, Malaysia has access to 66.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines supplied through the COVAX Facility and initial purchases from 5 vaccine manufacturers. Vaccination for COVID-19 is voluntary and will be provided free of charge to all Malaysian citizens and non-citizens in three phases. JUPEM through the Defence Geospatial Division (BGSP) has been entrusted to develop a Web GIS application, after a string of successes in developing Joint Common Operation Picture (JCOP) in the early stages of transmission of COVID-19. BGSP has developed Web Applications and Dashboards to provide an overview that can help in the planning, implementation and operation of vaccination centres for the National COVID-19 Immunization Programme (PICK) in Malaysia.
Smartphone Distance Measurement Application Using Image Processing Methods
Authors: Jasmari J.
Published: July 2022

This study introduces a new method to measure the distance of an object from an observer location using image processing methods by utilizing smartphone camera technology. This study involved the development of an application for distance measurement where users can measure the distance of an object using their smartphone. For this study, the basic image processing method was used to determine the proportional width of the object marker which then be used to derive the distance to the object. The application has been successfully developed where the distance from the smartphone to the object marker can be obtained with an accuracy of +/-0.05 meters for distances of less than 3 meters. However, further research needs to be conducted to enhance the application modules for better distance measurement accuracy. This study indicated that the development of smartphone applications using image processing methods has great potential to be applied in various distance measurement applications in the near future, especially in data collection activities for the production of small-scale topographic maps or for land surveying applications.
Production of drone orthomosaic map of UTHM Wetland Conservation Research Station using UAV photogrammetry
Authors: Kamarudin Kamarul Rahim , Wei Yap Jing
Published: July 2022

UTHM Wetland Conservation Research Station is a newly introduced biodiversity conservation site in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) Pagoh branch campus, Johor, Malaysia. However, due to the unavailability of current orthomosaic map of the allocated land area to be developed for the UTHM Wetland Conservation Research Station, especially from Google Maps and Google Earth Pro application, its current geospatial features were not up-to-date. Therefore, this study was done to map the UTHM Wetland Conservation Research Station land area for the latest geospatial features prior to the research station development. For such purpose, drone orthomasaic mapping technique was incorporated in this study, by which 1583 still aerial images were captured with DJI Mavic Air 2. The flight mission was completed using Dronelink software version 2.6.1. A number of 1577 out of 1583 images were successfully aligned as camera stations using Agisoft Metashape Standard Version 1.7.2, with six unaligned images. A drone orthomosaic map was then produced based on the 1577 camera stations. As a result, the final output is a drone orthomosaic map with good quality that represents the current overview of the study area, thus providing the most up-to-date information of the UTHM Wetland Conservation Research Station land area.
Adopting drone technology in STEM education for rural communities
Authors: Jemali Noor Janatun Naim , Rahim Aqilah Abdul , Rosly Mohamad Radi Mohamed , Susanti Siti , Daliman Shaparas , Muhamamad Marinah , Karim Muhammad Firdaus Abdul
Published: July 2022

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects have always been the most challenging topics in education. One of the reasons is the dearth use of technology, especially for underprivileged students located in rural areas. Incorporating a drone in the STEM curriculum supports education that incorporates tangible experience such as observations, formation of concepts as well as creating imaginative and creative thinking. A drone@school initiative was introduced to foster the ICT technical and knowledge sharing among underprivileged students, hence exposing them to the recent technology in strengthening STEM education. The project has been carried out using an online platform by introducing the theoretical and application of drones in real-life practices. The responses from this project were very encouraging whereby utilizing drones as the medium, the level of understanding in STEM education had increased to 96.6%. Besides, the respondents’ interest in STEM subjects significantly increased from 53.4% to 89.8%. The findings from the pre-and post-surveys revealed that the drone-based STEM learning approach had a positive impact on rural students’ enthusiasm and excitement.
Above-Ground Biomass Estimation for Urban Forest Management Using Remote Sensing
Authors: Hosni Ahmad Taufiq , Teriman Suharto , Adnan Nor Aizam , Kamar Muhamad Asri Abdullah
Published: July 2022

The urban forest acts as excellent storage for carbon dioxide (CO2). Quantifying the above-ground biomass can be vital in understanding the role of urban forest in mitigating excessive carbon dioxide in the urban environment. This study aimed to quantify and compare the above-ground biomass changes that occur from 1995 to 2005 and from 2005 to 2015 in Bandar Meru Raya, Ipoh, Perak using Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 images. The estimation of above-ground biomass was carried out using two methods, the development of a model equation using correlation analysis for the oil palm plantation inside the study area and an existing model equation that uses normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for the urban forest. The results obtained shows that the above-ground biomass content inside the study area has decreased by 6.60% in the first 10 years and decreased by another 33.78% in the second 10 years. These above-ground biomass changes show that there is a severe loss of carbon storage in the study area. Hence, the results can enable authorities to take action in managing the urban forest in order to maintain a stable climate and achieve low carbon city status.
Landslide’s analysis and Hazard mapping based on ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS (AHP) using GIS, in Lawas, Sabah-Sarawak
Authors: Ibrahim M.B , Mustaffa Z. , Balogun A.B. , Indra S.H.H. , Nur Ain A.
Published: July 2022

This research was conducted to establish a landslides hazard map in a district called Lawas in Malaysia’s Sabah–Sarawak region using the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) methods. Several landslides conditioning factors in the area were identified and used to build the AHP matrix. The landslides triggering factor(s) of the area was observed to be rainfall based on previous investigation reports for landslides in the regions and the landslides history records. The weightage values for the conditioning factors were assigned considering the contributions of each factor as observed from the spatial data analysis. These landslides’ conditioning factors were; slope, aspect, soil type, SPI, STI, rainfall intensity, elevation, Profile curvatures, and lithology. Satellite images constituted the primary part of the database used for the AHP analysis. GIS tools such as ArcMap were also utilized to read and analyze the remotely sensed data for the analysis. The susceptibility or hazard map was finally developed using ArcMap software through weighted overlay in a GIS (Geographic Information System) platform. The hazards map was later formulated by reclassifying the landslides susceptibility maps. Overall, the study revealed that all factors collected were very influential to landslides occurrence in the study area and that the AHP method was also discovered to be effective.
Spatial analysis approach for sustainability of Campus Radio in Malaysia: Case study of UMS KKFM Campus Radio
Authors: Eboy Oliver V , Ahmad Syahruddin Ag , Kalang Lizalin , Sieng Kong T
Published: July 2022

The campus radio in Malaysia usually established for educational purpose which is important for the student’s development in soft skills. Unfortunately, some campus radio is regarded as not popular and irrelevant due to the emergence of the Internet. Thus, this leads to low utilization of campus radio among students and the public. Although, there are listeners to the campus radio but it is difficult to identify the distribution pattern especially the location of the listeners. Therefore, this study was conducted using spatial analysis to determine the distribution pattern of radio listeners specifically towards campus radio in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) KKFM. The study was based on the perceptions of the respondents reside around the area of UMS with distance within 15km. Techniques such as interpolation, hotspot and geographic distribution measurement were applied in this study using ArcGIS software. Based on the result, the spatial pattern shows that the public and those reside far from UMS are among the regular listeners of the campus radio. Finally, the outcome of this study indicates that the campus radio is still relevant specifically for certain programmes. This study is important for service improvement and to achieve sustainability of the campus radio.
The Effectiveness of an Interactive Digital Map for Visually Impaired People
Authors: Amrullah Muhammad Erwin , Ramdani Fatwa , Tolle Herman
Published: July 2022

Individuals with visual impairment or blindness often experience problems with unfamiliar surroundings, especially when they want to know about the existence of an area where they live or a place they want to visit. With a map application that can help people with visual impairments, the application is developed unlike ordinary maps, which have sound and vibration features to support visually impaired users. The map application was developed based on interviews and literature studies of respondents during the research. The test scenario used 12 respondents divided into 3 experimental groups, each given 20 minutes, 10 minutes, and 5 minutes. Furthermore, the use of questions for spatial knowledge of an area is given to test the success of the maps that have been made during the research. The test scenario results show an increase in spatial knowledge when using a map developed with sound and vibration features for visually impaired users. With the technology created, it can help individuals with visual impairments in understanding an area and with the help of sound and vibration support features in the map application for users with visual impairments.
Computational Fluid Dynamics of Wind Flow and Air Pollution Modelling: A Review on 3D Building Model Standards
Authors: Ridzuan Nurfairunnajiha , Ujang Uznir , Azri Suhaibah , Yusoff Izham Mohamad
Published: July 2022

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to monitor air pollution events supported by real-world conditions digitally. Besides, wind flow that has a close relationship with air pollutants dispersion also can be visualized by using CFD simulation. The presence of a building, especially in terms of the building’s geometry, impacts the air pollution dispersion and wind flow that occur around a building or in a specific research area. As there is an involvement of building models in the simulation, some of the standards for the building modelling: Computer-Aided Design (CAD), City Geographic Markup Language (CityGML), and Building Information Modelling (BIM), are being utilized in this type of study. Many types of research have been conducted to study the pollutants and wind flow using the CFD technique of these three standards. Hence, this review paper is used to presents several pieces of research on this related topic. Through this review paper, some of the drawbacks of the study were identified, such as the detailing of the building’s geometry and the compatibility of each standard to be implemented in the CFD simulation.
Association of Life-Course Neighborhood Deprivation With Frailty and Frailty Progression From Ages 70 to 82 Years in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936
Authors: Baranyi Gergő , Welstead Miles , Corley Janie , Deary Ian J , Muniz-Terrera Graciela , Redmond Paul , Shortt Niamh , Taylor Adele M , Ward Thompson Catharine , Cox Simon R , Pearce Jamie
Published: July 2022

Neighborhood features have been postulated to be key predictors of frailty. However, evidence is mainly limited to cross-sectional studies without indication of long-term impact. We explored how neighborhood social deprivation (NSD) across the life course is associated with frailty and frailty progression among older Scottish adults. Participants (n = 323) were persons selected from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 with historical measures of NSD in childhood (1936–1955), young adulthood (1956–1975), and mid- to late adulthood (1976–2014). Frailty was measured 5 times between the ages of 70 and 82 years using the Frailty Index. Confounder-adjusted life-course models were assessed using a structured modeling approach; associations were estimated for frailty at baseline using linear regression and for frailty progression using linear mixed-effects models. Accumulation was the most appropriate life-course model for males; greater accumulated NSD was associated with higher frailty at baseline (b = 0.017, 95% confidence interval: 0.005, 0.029). Among females, the mid- to late adulthood sensitive period was the best-fitting life-course model, and higher NSD in this period was associated with widening frailty trajectories (b = 0.005, 95% confidence interval: 0.0004, 0.009). To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the life-course impact of NSD on frailty in a cohort of older adults. Policies designed to address deprivation and inequalities across the full life course may support healthy aging.
Implications of topological imbalance for representation learning on biomedical knowledge graphs
Authors: Bonner Stephen , Kirik Ufuk , Engkvist Ola , Tang Jian , Barrett Ian P
Published: July 2022

Adoption of recently developed methods from machine learning has given rise to creation of drug-discovery knowledge graphs (KGs) that utilize the interconnected nature of the domain. Graph-based modelling of the data, combined with KG embedding (KGE) methods, are promising as they provide a more intuitive representation and are suitable for inference tasks such as predicting missing links. One common application is to produce ranked lists of genes for a given disease, where the rank is based on the perceived likelihood of association between the gene and the disease. It is thus critical that these predictions are not only pertinent but also biologically meaningful. However, KGs can be biased either directly due to the underlying data sources that are integrated or due to modelling choices in the construction of the graph, one consequence of which is that certain entities can get topologically overrepresented. We demonstrate the effect of these inherent structural imbalances, resulting in densely connected entities being highly ranked no matter the context. We provide support for this observation across different datasets, models as well as predictive tasks. Further, we present various graph perturbation experiments which yield more support to the observation that KGE models can be more influenced by the frequency of entities rather than any biological information encoded within the relations. Our results highlight the importance of data modelling choices, and emphasizes the need for practitioners to be mindful of these issues when interpreting model outputs and during KG composition.
‘A Prison Is a Prison’: Perspectives From Incarcerated Men on the Therapeutic and Punitive Aspects of Halden Prison in Norway
Authors: Abdel-Salam Sami , Kilmer Ashley
Published: July 2022

Halden prison in Norway was architecturally designed to create a humane space conducive to mental wellbeing and motivation for personal growth. However, little is known about how those imprisoned perceive these design choices and its impact on their daily lived experience. The current study uses data from surveys and semi-structured interviews to examine the perceptions of incarcerated men at Halden regarding the prison’s design and its effect on overall impressions of the prison, therapeutic benefits and experiences of punishment. Findings indicate that although incarcerated individuals acknowledge the positive design elements of the prison, they do not perceive a therapeutic or motivational benefit. Furthermore, certain ‘pains’ of imprisonment persist within this environment, and the juxtaposition of therapeutic design elements and security practices may have unintended punitive effects. Results from this study serve as an important counterbalance to overwhelmingly favorable impressions of Halden’s design as mitigating the pains of imprisonment while promoting rehabilitation.
Edoxaban for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and age-adjusted predictors of clinical outcomes in routine clinical care
Authors: Kirchhof Paulus , Pecen Ladislav , Bakhai Ameet , de Asmundis Carlo , de Groot Joris R , Deharo Jean Claude , Kelly Peter , Levy Pierre , Lopez-de-Sa Esteban , Monteiro Pedro , Steffel Jan , Waltenberger Johannes , Weiss Thomas W , Laeis Petra , Manu Marius Constantin , Souza José , De Caterina Raffaele
Published: July 2022

Aims

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with oral anticoagulation still suffer from cardiovascular complications including cardiovascular death, stroke, and major bleeding. To identify risk factors for predicting stroke and bleeding outcomes in anticoagulated patients, we assessed 2-year outcomes in patients with AF treated with edoxaban in routine care. We also report the age-adjusted risk predictors of clinical outcomes.

Methods and results

The Edoxaban Treatment in Routine Clinical Practice for Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation (ETNA-AF) Europe (NCT02944019) is a prospective, multi-centre, post-authorisation, observational study with an overall 4-year follow-up conducted in 825 centres enrolling edoxaban-treated patients in 10 European countries. Of the 13 133 patients with AF (mean age: 73.6 ± 9.5 years), 5682 (43.3%) were female. At the 2-year follow-up, 9017/13 133 patients were still on edoxaban; 1830 discontinued treatment including 937 who died (annualised event rate of all-cause death was 3.87%). 518 (2.14%) patients died of cardiovascular causes; 234 (0.97%) experienced major bleeding and 168 (0.70%) experienced stroke or systemic embolic events (SEE). Intracranial haemorrhage was noted in 49 patients (0.20%). History of transient ischaemic attack (TIA) at baseline was the strongest predictor of ischaemic stroke or SEE (Wald χ2: 73.63; P < 0.0001). Low kidney function at baseline was the strongest predictor of major bleeding (Wald χ2: 30.68; P < 0.0001). History of heart failure (HF) was the strongest predictor of all-cause (Wald χ2: 146.99; P < 0.0001) and cardiovascular death (Wald χ2: 100.38; P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Patients treated with edoxaban in ETNA-AF-Europe reported low 2-year event rates in unselected AF patients. Prior stroke, reduced kidney function, and HF identify patients at high risk of stroke, bleeding and all-cause/cardiovascular death, respectively.
Pulmonary hypertension during exercise underlies unexplained exertional dyspnoea in patients with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Gojevic Tin , Van Ryckeghem Lisa , Jogani Siddharth , Frederix Ines , Bakelants Elise , Petit Thibault , Stroobants Sarah , Dendale Paul , Bito Virginie , Herbots Lieven , Hansen Dominique , Verwerft Jan
Published: July 2022

Aims

To compare the cardiac function and pulmonary vascular function during exercise between dyspnoeic and non-dyspnoeic patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods and results

Forty-seven T2DM patients with unexplained dyspnoea and 50 asymptomatic T2DM patients underwent exercise echocardiography combined with ergospirometry. Left ventricular (LV) function [stroke volume, cardiac output (CO), LV ejection fraction, systolic annular velocity (s′)], estimated LV filling pressures (E/e′), mean pulmonary arterial pressures (mPAPs) and mPAP/COslope were assessed at rest, low- and high-intensity exercise with colloid contrast. Groups had similar patient characteristics, glycemic control, stroke volume, CO, LV ejection fraction, and E/e′ (P > 0.05). The dyspnoeic group had significantly lower systolic LV reserve at peak exercise (s′) (P = 0.021) with a significant interaction effect (P < 0.001). The dyspnoeic group also had significantly higher mPAP and mPAP/CO at rest and exercise (P < 0.001) with significant interaction for mPAP (P < 0.009) and insignificant for mPAP/CO (P = 0.385). There was no significant difference in mPAP/COslope between groups (P = 0.706). However, about 61% of dyspnoeic vs. 30% of non-dyspnoeic group had mPAP/COslope > 3 (P = 0.009). The mPAP/COslope negatively predicted V̇O2peak in dyspneic group (β = −1.86, 95% CI: −2.75, −0.98; multivariate model R2:0.54).

Conclusion

Pulmonary hypertension and less LV systolic reserve detected by exercise echocardiography with colloid contrast underlie unexplained exertional dyspnoea and reduced exercise capacity in T2DM.
A Deeper Look into the EU Text and Data Mining Exceptions: Harmonisation, Data Ownership, and the Future of Technology
Authors: Margoni Thomas , Kretschmer Martin
Published: July 2022

This paper focuses on the two exceptions for text and data mining (TDM) introduced in the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (CDSM). While both are mandatory for Member States, Art. 3 is also imperative and finds application in cases of text and data mining for the purpose of scientific research by research and cultural institutions; Art. 4, on the other hand, permits text and data mining by anyone but with rightholders able to ‘contract-out’ (Art. 4). We trace the context of using the lever of copyright law to enable emerging technologies such as AI and the support innovation. Within the EU copyright intervention, elements that may underpin a transparent legal framework for AI are identified, such as the possibility of retention of permanent copies for further verification. On the other hand, we identify several pitfalls, including an excessively broad definition of TDM which makes the entire field of data-driven AI development dependent on an exception. We analyse the implications of limiting the scope of the exceptions to the right of reproduction; we argue that the limitation of Art. 3 to certain beneficiaries remains problematic; and that the requirement of lawful access is difficult to operationalize. In conclusion, we argue that there should be no need for a TDM exception for the act of extracting informational value from protected works. The EU’s CDSM provisions paradoxically may favour the development of biased AI systems due to price and accessibility conditions for training data that offer the wrong incentives. To avoid licensing, it may be economically attractive for EU-based developers to train their algorithms on older, less accurate, biased data, or import AI models already trained abroad on unverifiable data.
To trust or not to trust: an exploratory qualitative study of personal and community perceptions of vaccines amongst a group of young community healthcare workers in Soweto, South Africa
Authors: Watermeyer Jennifer , Scott Megan , Kapueja Lethu , Ware Lisa Jayne
Published: July 2022

As South Africa debates the implementation of mandatory vaccination policies to address coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy, many adults remain unpersuaded of the need and benefits of vaccination. Several surveys suggest that this is particularly true for younger adults and for those living in low-income communities. Therefore, we sought the views of youth training to become community health workers (CHWs) as a youth group at the intersection of the community and the health system. This research was conducted in a township of South Africa, a country with a long history of political mistrust. Using semi-structured interviews and an interview guide, we explored young CHWs’ perceptions (n = 20) of vaccine hesitancy for themselves, their peers and the community. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was undertaken. Findings suggest widespread COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in this community, especially amongst young people. Reported reasons for this hesitancy appear linked to a complex interrelated network of factors, including ‘uncertainty’ about the outcome and effectiveness of the vaccines; ‘fear’ of the vaccines, driven by a myriad of rumours and conspiracy theories within the community; a ‘lack of control’ over other people’s behaviour and a desire not to be controlled especially by the government but at the same time a resignation towards impending mandatory vaccine policies and a ‘lack of trust’ particularly in the government’s intentions with vaccine roll-out and their health messaging. While mandatory vaccination policies in several organizations have shown success, with South Africa’s complex social history and recent civil unrest, the roll-out of any mandatory vaccination policy will require careful health messaging with a focus on trust-building between communities, health systems and authorities through more personalized approaches that consider contextual nuances.
Endoscopic Stenting in Crohn’s Disease-related Strictures: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Outcomes
Authors: Chandan Saurabh , Dhindsa Banreet S , Khan Shahab R , Deliwala Smit , Kassab Lena L , Mohan Babu P , Chandan Ojasvini C , Loras Carme , Shen Bo , Kochhar Gursimran S
Published: July 2022

Background

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic progressive condition that is complicated by intestinal or colonic stricture in nearly 30% of cases within 10 years of the initial diagnosis. Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) is associated with a risk of perforations and recurrence rates of up to 60% at 5 years. Endoscopic stenting has been used as an alternative to EBD, but data on its safety and efficacy are limited. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the outcomes of endoscopic stenting in CD-related strictures.

Methods

A systematic and detailed search was run in January 2022 with the assistance of a medical librarian for studies reporting on outcomes of endoscopic stenting in CD-related strictures. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects model, and results were expressed in terms of pooled proportions along with relevant 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Nine studies with 163 patients were included in the final analysis. Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) including both partial and fully covered were used in 7 studies, whereas biodegradable stents were used in 2 studies. Pooled rate of clinical success and technical success was 60.9% (95% CI, 51.6-69.5; I2 = 13%) and 93% (95% CI, 87.3-96.3; I2 = 0%), respectively. Repeat stenting was needed in 9.6% of patients (95% CI, 5.3-16.7; I2 = 0%), whereas pooled rate of spontaneous stent migration was 43.9% (95% CI, 11.4-82.7; I2 = 88%). Pooled incidence of overall adverse events, proximal stent migration, perforation, and abdominal pain were 15.7%, 6.4%, 2.7%, and 17.9%, respectively. Mean follow-up period ranged from 3 months to 69 months.

Discussion

Endoscopic stenting in CD-related strictures is a safe technique that can be performed with technical ease, albeit with a limited clinical success. Postprocedure abdominal pain and proximal stent migration are some of the common adverse events reported.
The Battle of the Titans—Comparing Resuscitation Between Five Major Burn Centers Using the Burn Navigator
Authors: Rizzo Julie A , Liu Nehemiah T , Coates Elsa C , Serio-Melvin Maria L , Aden James K , Stallings Jonathan D , Foster Kevin N , AbdelFattah Kareem R , Pham Tam N , Salinas Jose
Published: July 2022

The goal of burn resuscitation is to provide the optimal amount of fluid necessary to maintain end-organ perfusion and prevent burn shock. The objective of this analysis was to examine how the Burn Navigator (BN), a clinical decision support tool in burn resuscitation, was utilized across five major burn centers in the United States, using an observational trial of 300 adult patients. Subject demographics, burn characteristics, fluid volumes, urine output, and resuscitation-related complications were examined. Two hundred eighty-five patients were eligible for analysis. There was no difference among the centers on mean age (45.5 ± 16.8 years), body mass index (29.2 ± 6.9), median injury severity score (18 [interquartile range: 9–25]), or total body surface area (TBSA) (34 [25.8–47]). Primary crystalloid infusion volumes at 24 h differed significantly in ml/kg/TBSA (range: 3.1 ± 1.2 to 4.5 ± 1.7). Total fluids, including colloid, drip medications, and enteral fluids, differed among centers in both ml/kg (range: 132.5 ± 61.4 to 201.9 ± 109.9) and ml/kg/TBSA (3.5 ± 1.0 to 5.3 ± 2.0) at 24 h. Post-hoc adjustment using pairwise comparisons resulted in a loss of significance between most of the sites. There was a total of 156 resuscitation-related complications in 92 patients. Experienced burn centers using the BN successfully titrated resuscitation to adhere to 24 h goals. With fluid volumes near the Parkland formula prediction and a low prevalence of complications, the device can be utilized effectively in experienced centers. Further study should examine device utility in other facilities and on the battlefield.
Diminished reality using semantic segmentation and generative adversarial network for landscape assessment: evaluation of image inpainting according to colour vision
Authors: Kikuchi Takuya , Fukuda Tomohiro , Yabuki Nobuyoshi
Published: July 2022

The objective of this research is to develop a method to detect and virtually remove representations of existing buildings from a video stream in real-time for the purpose of visualizing a future scenario without these buildings. This is done by using semantic segmentation, which eliminates the need to create three-dimensional models of the buildings and the surrounding scenery, and a generative adversarial network (GAN), a deep learning method for generating images. Real-time communication between devices enables users to utilize only portable devices equipped with a camera to visualize the future landscape onsite. As verification of the proposed method’s usefulness, we evaluated the complementation accuracy of the GAN and real-time performance of the entire method. The results indicated that the process is completed accurately when the area to be complemented is less than 15% of the view and that the process runs at 5.71 fps. The proposed method enables users to understand intuitively the future landscape and contributes to reducing the time and cost for building consensus.
Country of Origin and Representative Bureaucracy
Authors: Grissom Jason A , Darling-Aduana Jennifer , Hall Richard
Published: July 2022

A large body of research shows that clients of government services benefit from the presence of bureaucrats with whom they share race or ethnicity. These benefits arise from active or symbolic representation, which scholars argue are grounded in the shared backgrounds, language, and values that race and ethnicity proxy. We suggest that these shared connections are likely to be even more salient for clients and bureaucrats who share not just the same ethnicity but the same country of origin, and we look for evidence of representation based on country of origin in the context of public schools. Leveraging administrative and survey data from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth-largest school district in the United States, we employ regression models with school-by-year fixed effects to test for differences in test scores for students taught by a teacher with the same country of origin relative to similar students taught by other-origin teachers in the same school in the same year. We find that immigrant students with origin-matched teachers score modestly higher than their non-matched peers in both math and reading. These increases are most apparent among low-income students and those who are English learners. Patterns vary by immigrant students’ origin country.
Initial Assessment of a Regional Military–Civilian Partnership on Trauma Surgery Skills Sustainment
Authors: Ruggero John M , Farnand Alex W , Roach Paul B , Starr Frederic , Tadlock Matthew D , Bokhari Faran
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Trauma surgery skills sustainment and maintenance of combat readiness present a major problem for military general surgeons. The Military Health System (MHS) utilizes the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) threshold score of 14,000 as a measure of annual deployment readiness. Only 9% of military surgeons meet this threshold. Most military–civilian partnerships (MCPs) utilize just-in-time training models before deployment rather than clinical experiences in trauma at regular intervals (skills sustainment model). Our aim is to evaluate an established skills sustainment MCP utilizing KSAs and established military metrics.

Materials and Methods

Three U.S. Navy active duty general surgeons were embedded into an urban level-1 trauma center taking supervised trauma call at regular intervals prior to deployment. Operative density (procedures/call), KSA scores, trauma resuscitation exposure, and combat casualty care relevant cases (CCC-RCs) were reviewed.

Results

During call shifts with a Navy surgeon present an average 16.4 trauma activations occurred; 32.1% were category-1, 27.6% were penetrating, 72.4% were blunt, and 33.8% were admitted to the intensive care unit. Over 24 call shifts of 24 hours in length, 3 surgeons performed 39 operative trauma cases (operative density of 1.625), generating 11,683 total KSA points. Surgeons 1, 2, and 3 generated 5109, 3167, and 3407 KSA points, respectively. The three surgeons produced a total of 11,683 KSA points, yielding an average of 3,894 KSA points/surgeon. In total, 64.1% of operations fulfilled CCC-RC criteria.

Conclusions

Based on this initial evaluation, a military surgeon taking two calls/month over 12 months through our regional skills sustainment MCP can generate more than 80% of the KSA points required to meet the MHS KSA threshold for deployment readiness, with the majority being CCC-RCs. Intangible advantages of this model include exposure to multiple trauma resuscitations while possibly eliminating just-in-time training and decreasing pre-deployment requirements.
Patient views regarding cannabis use in chronic kidney disease and kidney failure: a survey study
Authors: Collister David , Herrington Gwen , Delgado Lucy , Whitlock Reid , Tennankore Karthik , Tangri Navdeep , Goupil Remi , Nadeau-Fredette Annie-Claire , Davison Sara N , Wald Ron , Walsh Michael
Published: July 2022

Background

Cannabis is frequently used recreationally and medicinally, including for symptom management in patients with kidney disease.

Methods

We elicited the views of Canadian adults with kidney disease regarding their cannabis use. Participants were asked whether they would try cannabis for anxiety, depression, restless legs, itchiness, fatigue, chronic pain, decreased appetite, nausea/vomiting, sleep, cramps and other symptoms. The degree to which respondents considered cannabis for each symptom was assessed with a modified Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (1, definitely would not; 5, definitely would). Multilevel multivariable linear regression was used to identify respondent characteristics associated with considering cannabis for symptom control.

Results

Of 320 respondents, 290 (90.6%) were from in-person recruitment (27.3% response rate) and 30 (9.4%) responses were from online recruitment. A total of 160/320 respondents (50.2%) had previously used cannabis, including smoking [140 (87.5%)], oils [69 (43.1%)] and edibles [92 (57.5%)]. The most common reasons for previous cannabis use were recreation [84/160 (52.5%)], pain alleviation [63/160 (39.4%)] and sleep enhancement [56/160 (35.0%)]. Only 33.8% of previous cannabis users thought their physicians were aware of their cannabis use. More than 50% of respondents probably would or definitely would try cannabis for symptom control for all 10 symptoms. Characteristics independently associated with interest in trying cannabis for symptom control included symptom type (pain, sleep, restless legs), online respondent {β = 0.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1–1.4]} and previous cannabis use [β = 1.2 (95% CI 0.9–1.5)].

Conclusions

Many patients with kidney disease use cannabis and there is interest in trying cannabis for symptom control.
Cognitive Impairment 13 Months After Hospitalization for COVID-19
Authors: Stavem Knut , Einvik Gunnar , Lundqvist Christofer
Published: July 2022

This study assessed cognitive function 13 months after hospital discharge for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), using computer-based cognitive tests. Compared to population norms, 14%–25% of patients were impaired in each dimension, and 53% had cognitive impairment in 1 or more of 4 tests. There was some association with acute COVID-19 disease severity.
Lophomonas and Mycobacterium co-infection: the first molecular evidence to overcome potential diagnostic pitfalls
Authors: Taheri Amirmasoud , Fakhar Mahdi , Sharifpour Ali , Nakhaei Maryam , Banimostafavi Elham Sadat
Published: July 2022

Lophomoniasis is an emerging protozoan disease that mostly involves the lungs. Because the disease has similar symptoms to other pulmonary infections such as tuberculosis, most cases are underdiagnosed. Here, we present a patient with co-infection of Lophomonas/Mycobacterium.
Intestinal evisceration and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia due to ruptured umbilical hernia in a patient with liver cirrhosis: a case report and literature review
Authors: Iizuka Yuki , Hikone Mayu , Shimizu Yusuke , Tanabe Maki , Sugiyama Kazuhiro , Hamabe Yuichi
Published: July 2022

Rupture of umbilical hernias is a potentially life-threatening condition that can occur in cirrhotic patients due to ascites. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports on bacteremia following intestinal evisceration due to a ruptured umbilical hernia. Herein, we report a case of a 42-year-old female with a history of complicated alcoholic liver cirrhosis and schizophrenia who presented with intestinal evisceration and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia secondary to a ruptured umbilical hernia. Due to a 2-day delay from presentation to hospitalization, the patient had a high risk for infection with skin flora. Initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy, prompt surgical repair and adequate postoperative control of ascites markedly improved the patient’s condition. In cases of prolonged intestinal evisceration in adults with a ruptured umbilical hernia, bacteremia treatment with antibiotics coverage for skin flora should be considered.
The mycorrhiza-specific ammonium transporter ZmAMT3;1 mediates mycorrhiza-dependent nitrogen uptake in maize roots
Authors: Hui Jing , An Xia , Li Zhibo , Neuhäuser Benjamin , Ludewig Uwe , Wu Xuna , Schulze Waltraud X , Chen Fanjun , Feng Gu , Lambers Hans , Zhang Fusuo , Yuan Lixing
Published: July 2022

Most plant species can form symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs), which may enhance the host plant’s acquisition of soil nutrients. In contrast to phosphorus nutrition, the molecular mechanism of mycorrhizal nitrogen (N) uptake remains largely unknown, and its physiological relevance is unclear. Here, we identified a gene encoding an AMF-inducible ammonium transporter, ZmAMT3;1, in maize (Zea mays) roots. ZmAMT3;1 was specifically expressed in arbuscule-containing cortical cells and the encoded protein was localized at the peri-arbuscular membrane. Functional analysis in yeast and Xenopus oocytes indicated that ZmAMT3;1 mediated high-affinity ammonium transport, with the substrate NH4+ being accessed, but likely translocating uncharged NH3. Phosphorylation of ZmAMT3;1 at the C-terminus suppressed transport activity. Using ZmAMT3;1-RNAi transgenic maize lines grown in compartmented pot experiments, we demonstrated that substantial quantities of N were transferred from AMF to plants, and 68%–74% of this capacity was conferred by ZmAMT3;1. Under field conditions, the ZmAMT3;1-dependent mycorrhizal N pathway contributed >30% of postsilking N uptake. Furthermore, AMFs downregulated ZmAMT1;1a and ZmAMT1;3 protein abundance and transport activities expressed in the root epidermis, suggesting a trade-off between mycorrhizal and direct root N-uptake pathways. Taken together, our results provide a comprehensive understanding of mycorrhiza-dependent N uptake in maize and present a promising approach to improve N-acquisition efficiency via plant–microbe interactions.
The role of cell-envelope synthesis for envelope growth and cytoplasmic density in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Kitahara Yuki , Oldewurtel Enno R , Wilson Sean , Sun Yingjie , Altabe Silvia , de Mendoza Diego , Garner Ethan C , van Teeffelen Sven
Published: July 2022

All cells must increase their volumes in response to biomass growth to maintain intracellular mass density within physiologically permissive bounds. Here, we investigate the regulation of volume growth in the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. To increase volume, bacteria enzymatically expand their cell envelopes and insert new envelope material. First, we demonstrate that cell-volume growth is determined indirectly, by expanding their envelopes in proportion to mass growth, similarly to the Gram-negative Escherichia coli, despite their fundamentally different envelope structures. Next, we studied, which pathways might be responsible for robust surface-to-mass coupling: We found that both peptidoglycan synthesis and membrane synthesis are required for proper surface-to-mass coupling. However, surprisingly, neither pathway is solely rate-limiting, contrary to wide-spread belief, since envelope growth continues at a reduced rate upon complete inhibition of either process. To arrest cell-envelope growth completely, the simultaneous inhibition of both envelope-synthesis processes is required. Thus, we suggest that multiple envelope-synthesis pathways collectively confer an important aspect of volume regulation, the coordination between surface growth, and biomass growth.
Frataxin controls ketone body metabolism through regulation of OXCT1
Authors: Dong Yi NA , Mesaros Clementina , Xu Peining , Mercado-Ayón Elizabeth , Halawani Sarah , Ngaba Lucie Vanessa , Warren Nathan , Sleiman Patrick , Rodden Layne N , Schadt Kimberly A , Blair Ian A , Lynch David R
Published: July 2022

Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease caused by the deficiency of mitochondrial protein frataxin, which plays a crucial role in iron–sulphur cluster formation and ATP production. The cellular function of frataxin is not entirely known. Here, we demonstrate that frataxin controls ketone body metabolism through regulation of 3-Oxoacid CoA-Transferase 1 (OXCT1), a rate limiting enzyme catalyzing the conversion of ketone bodies to acetoacetyl-CoA that is then fed into the Krebs cycle. Biochemical studies show a physical interaction between frataxin and OXCT1 both in vivo and in vitro. Frataxin overexpression also increases OXCT1 protein levels in human skin fibroblasts while frataxin deficiency decreases OXCT1 in multiple cell types including cerebellum and skeletal muscle both acutely and chronically, suggesting that frataxin directly regulates OXCT1. This regulation is mediated by frataxin-dependent suppression of ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS)-dependent OXCT1 degradation. Concomitantly, plasma ketone bodies are significantly elevated in frataxin deficient knock-in/knockout (KIKO) mice with no change in the levels of other enzymes involved in ketone body production. In addition, ketone bodies fail to be metabolized to acetyl-CoA accompanied by increased succinyl-CoA in vitro in frataxin deficient cells, suggesting that ketone body elevation is caused by frataxin-dependent reduction of OXCT1 leading to deficits in tissue utilization of ketone bodies. Considering the potential role of metabolic abnormalities and deficiency of ATP production in FRDA, our results suggest a new role for frataxin in ketone body metabolism and also suggest modulation of OXCT1 may be a potential therapeutic approach for FRDA.